Clinton to meet Somali president

Clinton to meet Somali president

Armed groups have stepped up an offensive against the government [AFP] The US secretary of state plans to meet the president of Somalia's transitional government during a seven-nation trip to Africa next week, the state department has said. Hillary Clinton will meet Sheikh Sharif Ahmed on the sidelines of an annual trade forum with sub-Saharan countries, which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, on August 5, Ian Kelly, the state department spokesman, said in a statement on Monday. The meeting comes as Somalia is ravaged by years of violence that worsened  two months ago when armed groups stepped up an offensive against the internationally-backed government of President Ahmed. On Monday, mortar attacks by Somali armed groups disrupted a parliamentary session as heavy fighting between  the groups and African Union-backed government forces killed seven civilians, officials said. Heavy fighting At least seven civilians were killed and 18 others wounded in fighting between al-Shabab and government forces backed by the AU troops, police in the capital said. The parliament was meeting for the first time since al-Shabab and Hizb al-Islam groups launched an anti-government offensive in May. "Several mortar shells struck the compound where we were having a session but there were no casualties. The session was called off after the attack and will continue tomorrow," Mohamed Adan, a legislator said. Some 300 MPs were meeting in a building in the south of the capital Mogadishu when al-Shabab fighters began firing mortars. "We heard explosions of mortar as we started our session minutes  after the president left the compound," said Hussein Ali, another MP.

Source: Agencies