Somali rebels and pro-govt militia clash; 13 dead

Mogadishu: Fighting between Somalia's rebel Hizbul Islam group and a pro-government militia resumed on Monday, a day after clashes in the strategic central Somali town of Baladwayne killed at least 13 people, a rights group and witnesses said.

Somalia has lacked a functional central government since 1991. The transitional government controls little more than a few blocks of Mogadishu, with the rest carved up between Al Shabaab and Hizbul Islam.

Al Shabaab - viewed by Washington as Al Qaida's proxy in the region - and Hizbul Islam are fighting each other for control of the rest of the country.

Elman peace and human rights group said at least 13 people were killed and 18 others wounded in Sunday's fighting between Hizbul Islam and clan militias.

"The death toll is higher. Both groups carried their casualties. We do not know how many fighters died," Ali Yasin Gedi, Elman's vice chairman, told reporters.

Residents said fighting resumed in Baladwayne on Monday.

"Both groups are exchanging machine gun fire in the streets," resident Hussein told media.

Fighting has killed 19,000 Somalis and forced 1.5 million from their homes since the beginning of 2007.