* Mustafa Haji Abdinur Mogadishu
* May 24, 2009

FIERCE clashes have left at least 29 people dead and about 200 wounded as Somali Government forces try to drive Islamist insurgents from the capital, Mogadishu.

With President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed holed up in his compound with a handful of supporters, his embattled forces have attacked insurgents in three positions they had lost over two weeks of fighting that has killed about 150 people.

A military spokesman, Farhan Mahdi Mohamed, said they would fight until the insurgents were dislodged from the capital but witnesses have seen the troops retreating.

Eight passengers were killed when a mortar shell struck a bus in southern Mogadishu.

"There was blood and human body parts all around. It was a horrible scene," said a witness.

A toll compiled from medical sources, security officials and witnesses puts the number of dead from Friday's clashes at 29, including a young journalist with local Radio Shabelle who died after being caught in the crossfire.

"We admitted 10 dead bodies in Deynile hospital, most of them discovered in the areas of the fierce fighting by the voluntary ambulances late in the afternoon," a medic said.

"Some of the bodies could not be identified because of gunshots and shrapnel face injuries," a nurse added. Mogadishu's Medina and Keysaney hospitals admitted 117 wounded civilians, five of whom died from their wounds soon after arrival. Six other deaths were reported.

An army spokesman said it had regained control of the three areas of the capital - Tarbunka, Bakara and Howlwadag - held by the insurgents.