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AFP
Dec 19, 06 - 7:42 PM |
Somali Islamists clash with government troops in southern region
Wednesday December 20, 11:12 AM BAIDOA, Somalia (AFP) - Forces loyal to Somalia's powerful Islamists clashed with government troops backed by Ethiopian forces, a day after the deadline expired for Addis Ababa to withdraw its troops or face major attacks. "Islamic forces have clashed with the government troops in the Idale region," said Mohamed Abdullahi, resident of the region told AFP. "There have been casualties, but I cannot say how many," he added. Officials in the defence ministry confirmed the clashes, but could not provide a casualty figure. "There have been clashes in Idale," said the official in the defense ministry. The clashes occurred at the Idale trading post, about 60 kilometres (38 miles) south of the seat of government in Baidoa, which is located 250 kilometres (155 miles) northwest of the capital Mogadishu. The fighting erupted about two hours after the expiration of a deadline set by the powerful Islamic movement for Ethiopian troops to pull out or face major attacks. The Islamists, who control swathes of southern and central Somalia and are accused of links to Al-Qaeda, have already declared a holy war on Ethiopian forces and claimed first blood in recent skirmishes. Ethiopia has sent several hundred military trainers and advisers to help the Somali government, but denies widespread reports it has deployed thousands of combat troops to Somalia to forestall a feared Islamist advance towards Baidoa, the only city held by the transitional administration. Analysts have warned that an all-out war in Somalia would engulf the whole Horn of Africa region, drawing in Ethiopia's arch-foe Eritrea, as both countries are accused of fighting a proxy war in the lawless country. Somalia has lacked an effective administration since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and the two-year-old government has failed to exert control across the impoverished nation of 10 million people. http://au.news.yahoo.com/061220/19/11u0c.html |
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