A Hard-line Islamist fighter aims a heavy machine gun towards government forces in Mogadishu on July 3, 2009. The fighting broke out in the south Mogadishu district of Karan this week after Somali government forces tried to retake positions previously lost to insurgent fighters of the Al-Shabaab Islamist movement and Hezbul Islam opposed to the Somali government. Nearly 250 people including senior Somali government officials were killed and more than 200000 Mogadishu residents have been displaced in the last two months of intense confrontations between the internationally recognized government and insurgents of Al-Shabaab and Hezbul Islam who control much of southern and central regions of the war wrecked Horn of Africa country. AFP PHOTO/ MOHAMED DAHIR