Mogadishu: Islamist rebels fired grenades at Ugandan peacekeepers in Mogadishu on Tuesday, killing at least 10 people, officials said.

Residents said two mortars killed eight people and wounded nine others in the attack. A stray rocket-propelled grenade killed a further two people, witnesses said.

Dozens of others were injured in the crossfire between the rebels and foreign troops, including the African Union (AU) peacekeeping force.

"First they fired four rocket-propelled grenades at us and then [with] machine guns, but there were no casualties from our side," AU spokesman Barigye Bahouku said.

"We have not killed any civilians but aimed at those who attack us using small arms," Bahouku added.