Somalia ? Fifty people have died in 24 hours of fighting that began when Ethiopian troops tried to retrieve the body of a soldier dragged through the streets of Mogadishu, witnesses and doctors said Friday.

The latest clashes with Islamic insurgents are among the most violent since April, when battles left at least 1,670 people dead in Mogadishu. Ethiopia has been pushing more troops into the capital in recent days, causing an increase in contact between insurgents and government troops and their Ethiopian allies, residents said.

The latest fighting began Thursday when Ethiopian soldiers tried to retrieve the body of a comrade killed in earlier skirmishes and dragged through the streets of the capital, witnesses said.