Deaths as fighting flares at Somali president's home

MOGADISHU, Jan 12 (Reuters) At least two people were killed today in fighting between government troops guarding the Somali president's compound and warlord militiamen who tried to force their way past the gate, officials said.

There were conflicting death tolls from the firefight at Villa Somalia, where President Abdullahi Yusuf and warlords from the capital Mogadishu were meeting when the shooting started.

Government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said two militiamen were killed and four wounded, while a government security source said up to nine may have been killed.

''Mohamed Qanyare's security (men) and those of Omar Finnish tried to enter Villa Somalia by force,'' Dinari told Reuters by telephone, referring to two warlords. ''Fighting ensued. It went on for nearly four minutes.'' Dinari denied any government fighters or Ethiopian soldiers guarding the compound were hurt in the fighting, but the security source said many had been wounded on both sides.

Yusuf was meeting former Mogadishu warlords and politicians, seeking their help in securing the city so his government can stay there.

Qanyare and Finnish were opposed to Yusuf before a militant Islamist group drove them and other warlords out of Mogadishu in June after four months of fighting.

Yusuf's government, with Ethiopian military power behind it, took Mogadishu and most of southern Somalia from the Islamists in a lightning offensive just before the new year.

REUTERS SP HS1634