MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Somalia’s cabinet declared a  state of emergency yesterday and the parliament speaker asked  neighbouring countries to send troops to help the government  within the next 24 hours as fighting intensified in the capital.

Two legislators have been killed in the last two days in worsening violence between government forces and hardline Islamists trying to oust the Horn of Africa nation’s leadership.

Al Shaabab insurgents stepped up an offensive against Somalia’s government last month and on Thursday killed the country’s security minister and at least 30 other people in a  suicide car bomb attack.

They also killed an MP in northern Mogadishu on Friday.

“Today the Somali cabinet has unanimously declared that the  country is in a state of emergency,” a cabinet statement said.

Parliament speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Madobe had earlier  asked neighbouring countries to step in militarily to rescue the  struggling government.

Residents in the central areas of the Horn of Africa country  reported yesterday seeing Ethiopian troops in Somalia.

“We are asking the world and neighbouring countries to  intervene in Somalia’s situation immediately,” Madobe told a  parliament meeting convened as the opposition fighters advanced  towards the presidential palace.

“We want them to come here within 24 hours,” he said.

“We’ve been forced to make this request because of the  escalating violence. Those fighting the government are being led  by a (former) Pakistani army general, they are burning the flag  and killing people,” Madobe said.