The United Nations' top humanitarian official is in Somalia to urge the interim government to allow humanitarian aid to reach the country's people.

African Union peacekeepers have begun patrolling the battered streets of the Somali capital of Mogadishu, days after the government declared victory over Islamic insurgents. About 1,600 Ugandan troops began roaming the streets of Mogadishu on Tuesday as thousands of residents began streaming back into the city.

Deeply deploring the civilian deaths resulting from renewed fighting in Somalia, the Security Council today urged the country's Government to reach out to all segments of the war-torn country's society, while demanding that the warring parties allow relief aid to reach those in need.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed grave concern at the violence in Somalia. VOA's Peter Heinlein at U.N. headquarters reports officials also fear the consequences of Somalia's burgeoning humanitarian crisis.

The prime minister of Somalia's transitional government is claiming victory over insurgents in Mogadishu. But a former member of parliament denies that the transitional government is in control of the volatile capital. Cathy Majtenyi reports for VOA from Nairobi.

As long as the fighting continues in Somalia, relief operations are unable to keep up with the humanitarian crisis that's emerging. Philippe Lazzerini is the head of office for Somalia at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA. From Nairobi, he gave VOA English to Africa Service reporter Joe De Capua an overview of the relief operations.

Over 320,000 people have now fled Mogadishu since the beginning of February to escape the ongoing fighting. And it's been very difficult for humanitarian agencies to reach all those in need.

Witnesses in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, say renewed fighting between Ethiopian troops and Somali insurgents has left at least 10 people dead and at least 20 injured. Residents say the fighting broke out late Tuesday in the Al Kamin neighborhood of southern Mogadishu.

European Union diplomats say they are investigating whether Ethiopian and Somali government forces have committed war crimes in Somalia. The investigation was apparently triggered by an e-mail sent to Eric van der Linden, the EU ambassador to Kenya.

In Somalia, at least seven people were killed and dozens wounded when Somali and Ethiopian troops entered a section of the capital, Mogadishu. Meanwhile, in southern Somalia, people are suffering from a suspected cholera outbreak. Cathy Majtenyi reports for VOA from Nairobi.