Somali police fortify headquarters

Mogadishu: Somali police are fortifying their headquarters in Mogadishu, the day after Islamist fighters briefly seized the building in a bold and deadly attack.

The insurgents had tried many times to attack the capital's heavily guarded K4 district, but Thursday night's raid was their first major success. Police officer Dalmar Mohammad Hassan said two police officers and five insurgents died in the attack.

He said three other insurgents were captured. Witnesses said two government soldiers and two civilians also were killed in the fighting.

Hassan said on Friday that police are fortifying "to be ready for other attacks". The burned out hulks of two vehicles set ablaze in the fighting remain outside the building.

"The fighting was hideous, terrifying," one resident, Hawa Abdi, told independent local broadcaster Shabelle by telephone from Mogadishu's central Waberi district.