Violent clashes between Somali fighters and Ethiopian troops have killed at least 21 people and wounded 48 others in Mogadishu.
The fighting erupted on Wednesday after fighters attacked the presidential palace, ambushing departing Ethiopian soldiers in the Somali capital.
A heavy exchange of mortar and gunfire later ensued, witnesses said.
Al-Shabab, an armed group that has been fighting the transitional government and Ethiopian forces in Somalia, is thought to be behind the attack.
The violence underlines fears of an upsurge in bloodshed after Ethiopia's military completes its troop withdrawal from Somalia.
On Thursday, the last of the Ethiopian forces withdrew from their bases in Mogadishu. They face a 500km journey through Somalia to the border.
Fighting in Somalia has killed more than 16,000 civilians since the start of 2007, after Ethiopia sent military forces to help the government drive out the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) from Mogadishu.
Analysts say the ongoing withdrawal of 3,000 Ethiopian soldiers will leave a vacuum, triggering more violence by fighters who have battled the UN-backed administration for two years, and are now increasingly fighting each other.
Some Somalis are pessimistic about a return to peace in a nation that has suffered 18 years of incessant civil conflict.
Sheikh Muktar Robow Mansoor, al-Shabaab's national spokesman, told a news conference in Mogadishu that his group would focus on attacking African Union (AU) troops and government targets.
"Now that the Ethiopians have left the bases we used to attack, we shall launch attacks on AMISOM (AU mission), the government and the airport," he said.
The AU currently has 3,500 soldiers in Somalia.
In a separate development, the Spanish parliament today gave the green light to the sending of about 400 spanish troops to join in the EU anti-piracy expeditionary force off Somali’s coasts.
The related piece of legislation is expected to be endorsed on Friday by the Spanish council of Ministers.
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