Hundreds may have been killed in Somalia -Red Cross

GENEVA, Dec 29 (Reuters) Hundreds of people may have been killed in recent fighting in Somalia, which forced thousands of others from their homes, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said today.

The Geneva-based organisation called the military escalation over the past 10 days ''the heaviest fighting in a decade'' in Somalia, which has suffered 15 years of civil conflict and a series of natural disasters, including severe floods.

''There is no precise information on the number of casualties so far, but it may be assumed that hundreds have been killed. In recent days more than 800 wounded people, both civilians and fighters, have been admitted to hospitals and other medical facilities in the area,'' the ICRC said.

Thousands of civilians have fled their homes but are returning once they are safe again, it added.

Somalia's prime minister entered Mogadishu on Friday, one day after his Ethiopian-backed forces drove Islamist rivals from the city they had ruled by sharia law since June.

While the United Nations refugee agency warned of a huge displacement of people into neighbouring countries, the ICRC said no significant refugee movements had yet been seen.

The ICRC said it was preparing 12 tonnes of medical supplies to be flown to several sites across Somalia in the coming days, and has increased its support for medical facilities in the central and southern areas of the country.

It also said it was ready to provide emergency aid such as shelter, water, food and health care.

Reuters SBA VP0140