MOGADISHU, Somalia -- On Nov. 17, two small groups of Islamic insurgents wielding rifles and rockets attacked Ugandan troops protecting a critical road junction in Mogadishu, sparking a 90-minute firefight that proved to be one of the first major tests of the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia. The battle at the so-called four-kilometer roundabout -- which links Mogadishu's airport and seaport to major roads leading out of the city -- left at least one insurgent dead. The Ugandans suffered no casualties. The fight proved that the 1,600-man AU mission can survive in the embattled city, according to Ugandan army spokesman Capt. Paddy Ankunda. Mogadishu has seen heavy fighting in recent weeks between occupying Ethiopian troops and insurgent groups allied to the deposed Islamic Courts regime.
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