At least 30 people have been killed in clashes between rival militias in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
In some of the worst violence for years in the east African nation, fire from mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns have been reported in many parts of the city.
Militia linked to Islamic courts have been involved in clashes with fighters for a self-styled 'anti-terrorism coalition of warlords', which many observers believe to be funded by Washington.
The US has long viewed Somalia as a terrorist haven and the US-backed warlord alliance was set up to curb the growing influence of Islamic courts and to track down extremists, allegedly harboured by the courts.
The battle for control of Mogadishu has been ongoing since the start of the year, leaving an estimated 270 people dead.
Somalia has been without a functioning government since the toppling of former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and while this latest violence has been mainly restricted to northern parts of the city, it is now spreading to various districts in the south.
