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[25 May 2006] - Fighting broke out in Somalia's capital Mogadishu last Thursday. Twenty-eight deaths are reported including eight children and wounding more than 107 civilians. The situation of Mogadishu has deteriorated dramatically and both sides are exchanging heavy machine gunfire in civilian areas. Many people have been displaced and have fled their homes. Most children in Mogadishu cannot attend private schools because their parents cannot afford to pay school fees. Only 20 per cent of children attend schools but even they could not go to their schools last week because of the fighting. All schools and businesses were closed. SOCPD is worried about the situation in Mogadishu and is conducting advocacy with warring parties to stop the fighting and start negotiation.