Somalis rally for peace, but new attack kills 5

MOGADISHU, May 17 (Reuters) Hundreds of Somalis took to the streets of lawless Mogadishu today to appeal for peace after militia battles that have killed 150 people -- but a fresh attack left another five fighters dead.

The mainly civilian demonstrators, including women and children, marched to express their disgust at the recent flare-up between militia linked to Mogadishu's Islamic courts and a self-styled anti-terror alliance of local warlords.

Some foreign and Somali analysts view the fighting as a proxy battle between Islamist militants and Washington, widely believed to be funding the warlords.

The protesters chanted slogans and held banners, witnesses said.

But at the same time -- in an extension of the fighting into the rural area around Mogadishu -- Islamic militia attacked a village controlled by warlord Mohamed Dheere, killing five of his fighters, a militia leader said.

It was the second major breach of a relative ceasefire since the weekend after a ferocious eight-day battle for control of Mogadishu that sent hundreds of terrified civilians fleeing from rockets, mortars and heavy machine guns.

''It was a very quick operation. Five of Dheere's militia were killed and two of his 'technicals' captured,'' Islamic militia leader Siyad Mohamed told Reuters by telephone, using the local term for pickups mounted with heavy machine-guns.

STRONGHOLD Ali Nur, a member of the alliance militia, said he was aware of the attack during the morning. ''Some 'technicals' belonging to the Islamic court left Mogadishu for the Middle Shabelle region controlled by Mohamed Dheere to attack,'' he told Reuters.

Dheere and his militia had arrived from his stronghold in Jowhar at the weekend to join the Mogadishu battle, the third and by far the fiercest the two sides have waged since February.

The Islamic courts say dollars are being poured into Mogadishu to strengthen their enemies, while the warlords accuse their rivals of having links to al Qaeda.

Somalia's interim government, the 14th attempt at restoring central rule since dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted in 1991, is not strong enough to move to Mogadishu from its base in the southern city of Baidoa.

Interim President Abdullahi Yusuf and Islamic leaders accuse Washington of backing the warlords, who call themselves the ''Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism'' in what their foes say is a cynical ploy to get US cash.

Washington believes Somalia is a potential haven for extremists due to its lack of functioning government.

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