The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the heavy fighting over the weekend in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, and he deplores the substantial loss of life and injuries among the civilian population.

He urges parties to the conflict in Mogadishu to refrain from the indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force that endangers the lives of civilians, particularly in heavily populated civilian areas, and reminds them that any targeting of non-combatants is a violation of international humanitarian law.

New York

21 April 2008