NAIROBI, May 16 (Xinhua) — The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Mark Bowden, is calling for the respect of the Somali civilians caught in the week-long fighting pitting the government and radical Islamist forces in the capital Mogadishu.

In a statement issued in Nairobi on Saturday, Bowden expressed concern over the plight of Somali civilians in Mogadishu, where more than 100 were killed, more wounded and thousands displaced in the past week of fighting.

“I am deeply concerned about the civilians who are caught in the midst of a situation where they face the choice of displacement or death,” said Bowden.

“Many of them have only recently returned to Mogadishu from camps all over the country, which was a heartening expression of hope and faith in the peace process. Now, caught in the crossfire of the conflict, they are being victimized again,” the official said.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said on Friday the fighting, which erupted last week between forces loyal to the embattled fledgling government and opposition groups, has sparked a new wave of displacement forcing over 34,000 to flee their homes.

The agency reported that hospitals in central Mogadishu are overwhelmed by the wounded in need of urgent medical attention.

In the first three months of the year, Bowden said an estimated 70,000 displaced people returned to Mogadishu.

The latest flare-up broke out as the Somali government formed in January tried to quell the insurgency by accommodating its stated goal of an Islamic state.

After a former Islamist insurgent was elected president this year, the government promised to strike a deal with other groups to implement Shariah law. The pledge apparently is not enough to appease them with fighting escalating in the war-torn capital city.

Hospitals reported at least 180 civilians were killed and 500 others wounded, outnumbering military casualties.

“All parties must respect the international laws of conflict. The fact that civilians are suffering casualties indicates that the combatants are not discriminating between armed fighters and unarmed civilians,” said Bowden.

“This is a gross violation of the laws of war. The killing and wounding of civilians is never justifiable for any military objective. I call on all parties involved to protect the unarmed citizens caught in the midst of this conflict,” the official stated.

Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991, when warlords overthrew longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre before turning on one another.

Editor: Wang Guanqun