Thousands have fled the fiercest fighting in Somalia for months [AFP]

Witnesses said there were two hours of heavy fighting on Sunday before members of the al-Shabab group took Jowhar.

The clashes 90km north of Mogadishu come as human rights workers say at least 68 people have been killed in fighting in the capital during the past 48 hours.

One resident told the Reuters news agency that there had been "serious fighting" in Jowhar in which at least seven people had been killed.

Rebel onslaught

Describing the clashes in Jowhar, Ali Moalim Hassan, a town elder, told the AFP news agency that "the other Islamist militia backing the government deserted their positions" - ceding control of the town to al-Shabab.

Al-Shabab is said to have attacked Jowhar on two fronts early in the morning and took over the prison and released detainees.

"Three civilians died and seven were injured after mortars targeting the police headquarters hit civilians," Abdulahi Mohamed Jis, a witness told the AFP.

The government is thought to be attempting to bring in reinforcements to retake the area and contain the opposition fighters.

Jowhar is the home town of Sharif Ahmed, the president, and in 2005 it was chosen as the temporary location for the country's transitional government.

The Somali government has been losing ground in recent weeks and now controls little more than the centre of the capital, with the support of African Union troops.

New offensive

On May 15, Somalia's president appealed to al-Shabab to negotiate as sporadic fighting continued in Mogadishu.

The UN Security Council has voiced concern about reported arms supplies to al-Shabab by neighbouring Eritrea.

Eritrea rejects the accusations that it sends weapons to the al Qaeda-linked groups fighting Somalia's government.

The council expressed "concern at the loss of life and the worsening humanitarian situation arising out of the renewed fighting".

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