At least 19 dead in Somali fighting

Clashes between Islamic fighters and African Union soldiers and other pro-government forces in Somalia left at least 19 dead, authorities in Mogadishu said. A spokesman for pro-government forces told the BBC at least six fighters with al-Shabaab were killed during clashes in northern Mogadishu. At least four AU soldiers were killed along with nine fighters backing the Somali government. Al-Shabaab pulled back from Mogadishu during the summer, giving transitional authorities there more influence. The British broadcaster noted al-Shabaab fighters couldn't gain ground in the capital but the melee was seen as a blow to the Somali government. The Kenyan Parliament voted this week to meld its forces into the 9,000-member AU contingent supporting the transitional government in Somalia. Kenya in October sent its soldiers into southern Somalia following a series of high-profile kidnappings of Westerners in the region. Al-Shabaab was blamed for the abductions. Stratfor, a U.S. private intelligence company, reported recently that al-Shabaab was showing signs of disunity. The al-Qaida affiliate, the company added, said it changed its name to the Somali Islamic Emirate. The British broadcaster notes there were several suicide attacks on targets in Mogadishu in recent days.