Islamist insurgents attack African Union (AMISOM) peacekeepers in Mogadishu

MOGAIDSHU, Oct 13 2008 (Reuters) report - Insurgents attack African Union troops in Mogadishu - excerpt:

Islamist rebels attacked African Union (AU) peacekeepers in Mogadishu for a second day running on Monday after more than 800 AU reinforcements from Burundi arrived.

The AU mission, AMISOM, is guarding key sites in the Somali capital where a U.N.-backed interim government and its Ethiopian military allies are battling Islamist rebels and clan militia.

At least two of the new arrivals from Burundi were wounded within hours on Sunday when a bomb hit their convoy. A similar attack was launched on Monday.

"One of our soldiers was injured after an AMISOM vehicle was targeted by an explosive device," an AU spokesman told Reuters.

"This morning, armed elements also attacked one of our bases, but there were no casualties on our side."

The peacekeepers have been targeted in a string of bombings and ambushes since the Islamists launched their rebellion early last year. The fighting has killed nearly 10,000 civilians. Seven Ugandan soldiers and one Burundian have died.

The worst insecurity for nearly two decades in the chaotic Horn of Africa country has fuelled a wave of kidnappings this year as well as at least 30 attacks by pirates offshore.