MOGADISHU: Rebels shot down an Ethiopian helicopter gunship over Mogadishu on Friday as the worst fighting in the Somali capital for more than 15 years left dozens of civilians dead.

Clashes between insurgent fighters and joint Ethiopian and Somali government forces erupted across the city before the Mi-24 gunship was hit by a missile and came down on waste land in Mogadishu airport, killing both Ethiopian crew members.

A correspondent reported seven bodies in the street on Friday evening, bringing the death toll in the past two days to at least 55.

It was the highest toll in a 24-hour period since the start of the year, when Ethiopian forces helped the Somali transitional government drive out the leaders of the Islamist movement controlling Mogadishu.

The fighting in the past two days was triggered by an Ethiopian-spearheaded offensive against Islamist insurgents who have been carrying out guerilla-style attacks.--AFP