Tens of thousands riot in Somalia over rising food prices

By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN Associated Press Writer

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - Tens of thousands of people rioted over high food prices in Somalia's capital Monday, hurling stones and prompting hundreds of shops to close.

An Associated Press reporter saw several people injured in the protest in Mogadishu in this Horn of Africa nation.

The protesters include women and children, who marched to protest the refusal of traders to accept old 1,000-shilling notes.

Soon after, tens of thousands of people took to the streets, hurling stones that smashed the windshields of several cars and buses. Rocks also were thrown at shops and chaos erupted at the capital's main Bakara market.

Hundreds of shops and restaurants in southern Mogadishu closed their doors for fear of looting.

Prices of rice and other food staples have been rising rapidly around the world, boosted by poor weather in some nations and rising demand. The increases have led to violent protests in Haiti and Egypt and concerns of unrest elsewhere amid profiteering and hoarding.