Attacks kill eight as peace talks begin

At least six children were killed in mortar attacks not far from a building where a long-awaited peace conference opened in Mogadishu, the mayor of the Somalian capital said.

The children died while playing soccer a few hundred yards from the conference, Mayor Mohammed Dheere said. Three others were wounded.

The reconciliation conference began hours after a short gun battle killed at least two people.

More than 1,200 delegates are tackling issues that have stoked Somalia’s 16-year conflict, such as clan arguments, looted property, a new constitution and general elections by 2009, said Ali Mahdi Mohamed, the organizing committee’s chairman.