United Nations Radio

The UN refugee agency -UNHCR says at least 12,000 people in Mogadishu have fled their homes in the past week because of intense fighting in the Somali capital.

Islamist insurgents have been battling Somalia's transitional government troops for nearly two years now.

UNHCR Spokeswoman Catherine Weibel says that's a very conservative estimate.

She says about half of the 12,000 newly displaced people have sought shelter within Mogadishu, while the rest have fled to Afgoye.

"These people are of course very desperate but many of them have no idea where to go; they sleep on the roads and they don't really knw how they are goig to feed their children."

Ms. Weibel describes the situation as "very difficult", saying the insecurity prevailing around Mogadishu makes it difficult for UNHCR to reach these people.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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