‘Better Safe Than Sorry,’ Say Patrolling Marines : Somalia: Shots are fired daily at troops in capital zone that used to be a thriving civic center.

MOGADISHU, Somalia —  Two nervous young U.S. Marines were speeding Monday through this city’s deadly no-man’s-land, called the Green Line, when they suddenly confronted a teen-ager holding an AK-47 semiautomatic rifle.

They slammed on the brakes, trained their rifles on the Somali and commanded “ Dhig bunde! “ -- “Drop your weapon!” After a terrifying standoff that lasted only seconds, the boy finally released the rifle, smiled strangely and slowly backed away.

The Marines, their adrenaline pumping from an identical armed encounter only a moment before, threw the AK-47 to a civilian passenger in their truck and sped safely away from this den of snipers who have fired on the U.S.-led forces for the last 10 days.

“I just didn’t feel comfortable turning my back on him,” said Lance Cpl. Mark Bernett, 21, from Camp Pendleton. “I thought, ‘Better safe than sorry.’ ”

U.S. Marines here have a right to be jumpy. Every day they have been shot at within the Green Line, a war-ravaged part of the city where rival “technicals”--armed Somalis, often riding aboard pickup trucks and other small vehicles with weapons mounted on them--have divided the turf as though they were gangs from Los Angeles.

Once, this part of the capital was a teeming civic center of exotic architecture and serene views of the Indian Ocean. Now, almost every building is mutilated with bullet holes, and people are afraid to walk the streets once the day grows long. Somalis torn by civil war are still killing each other in this tense danger zone, which has divided areas of Mogadishu controlled by rival warlords.

Even for Marines, who have fought in the jungles and the desert, this is a combat nightmare.

“This is the worst type of warfare there is for a military operation,” said Gunnery Sgt. Robin White, whose men patrol the Green Line. “It’s like, you don’t know who’s your friend. It’s sniper heaven out there.”

The situation intensified on Sunday when a U.S. Marine patrol checking for snipers in several buildings, located on high ground, was fired on twice. The Marines returned a volley, possibly wounding one Somali gunman.

The episode started when the American-led forces took incoming rounds as they cautiously moved through the city’s empty police station. Suspecting the shots were coming from the ravaged Parliament building, the Marines raced to investigate but found the structure unoccupied. But soon they were targeted by a gunman from a nearby building.

The Marines aligned their sights and hastily squeezed off return fire. About 20 minutes later, they saw an approaching vehicle--with a mounted .50-caliber machine gun and Somalis armed with AK-47s--coming their way. The Somalis were ordered to abandon their weapons, and several left the vehicle. But the driver and a passenger then tried to step on the gas and drive away; four Marines pulled their triggers.

Andy Milburn--the patrol’s 29-year-old, English-born first lieutenant--said Monday that he thinks he hit the person in the passenger seat. “He slumped,” Milburn said. “To be honest with you, I shot at him by mistake. I’m from England and I thought he was the driver.” (In Britain, a vehicle’s steering wheel is on the right side.)

Feeling under the gun and more aggressive, the U.S. Marines returned to the Parliament building on Monday, partly to let the technicals know that the American forces are the new sheriff in town. “We’re just here as a presence,” said Sgt. Michael Parker, 24, of Camp Pendleton.

Besides their rifles, the U.S. Marines have one other significant comfort. The local population discreetly signals the location of snipers to the Leathernecks.

“Every time we take a weapon, they cheer us on,” said Cpl. Robert Reddick, also from Camp Pendleton. “When we’re on foot patrol, they show us where the weapons are.”

Marines also get a break because the Somali gunmen are lousy marksmen, although they placed a few rounds within 15 feet of the Americans. “I don’t know whether they don’t aim or don’t know how to shoot,” Reddick said. “We’ve been pretty lucky so far.”

No U.S. Marines have been killed or wounded in Somalia since they landed on Dec. 9.

As they took positions in the Parliament building Monday, the Marines were confident that they wouldn’t come under attack again. Several felt that the engagement the preceding day had discouraged the Somali clansmen from taking potshots.

“I feel real comfortable,” said Lance Cpl. Shane Neal, 19, from Camp Pendleton. He sat crouched at the wall facing the building where shots came from the day before.

But moments after he professed his comfort, several gunshots broke the silence.

“Hey, that was right over there,” Neal said.

Then he tried to be optimistic: “After yesterday, I think they understand we’re not playing around.”