Somalia update

The Islamic fundamentalists seeking to turn Somalia into an Islamic state ruled by Islamic law are pressing their campaign north of the capital.

Islamic militia who have increased control of Somalia's capital in fighting that has killed some 330 people pressed their campaign north of Mogadishu on Thursday in a bid to build on their gains.

The latest battleground in the third and fiercest bout of fighting since the turn of the year between militia linked to Islamic courts and a self-styled anti-terrorism coalition of warlords was north of Mogadishu towards the town of Balad.

"It's an open terrain, many must have been killed, but I don't know how many have died and are wounded so far," Ibrahim Mallim, a coalition militiaman, told Reuters by telephone.

And naturally, civilians are caught in the fighting, and are being driven from their homes.

Islamic militiamen clashed with their secular rivals Thursday, and civilians fled the battleground near Mogadishu's livestock market.

At least three combatants were killed and seven others wounded in the fighting in northern Mogadishu, residents and medical workers said.

The fundamentalist Islamic militiamen have steadily expanded their control of parts of Mogadishu since February and their military supremacy is growing.

Thursday's battle began after Islamic fighters confronted dozens of secular combatants who were heading into Mogadishu to try to recapture a base near the city's livestock market. Heavy fighting prevented the raiders from moving toward their target, said Yahya Haji, a journalist for Horn Afrik radio who lives in the neighborhood where the fighting occurred.

Hundreds of civilians fled their homes near the market, fearing that secular militias could later push past their rivals and go on to recapture the area they lost to Islamic fighters Wednesday, residents said.