Somalia: 17 dead in Mogadishu clashes, Aweys praises Al Shabaab

At least 17 people were killed in the Somali capital Mogadishu during Tuesday clashes, as Islamist leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys publicly declared his support for the merger of Al Shabaab and Hizbul Islam insurgent factions, Radio Garowe reports.
The fighting started overnight Monday and continued into Tuesday, with Somali government forces and allied African peacekeepers (AMISOM) repelling attacks by Al Shabaab insurgents.
Most of the violence was concentrated around Mogadishu's Hodan, Bondhere and Abdiaziz districts. Medical workers reported more than 32 wounded persons were admitted to local hospitals.Read More

Aweys [left] shares a laugh with Ali Dheere, Al Shabaab spokesman