NAIROBI, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Somali Islamic courts
pulled out of the capital of Mogadishu on Thursday as forces of Ethiopia and
Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) prepared to launch attacks there,
witnesses said.
Forces of the TFG and Ethiopia troops were reportedly
moving forward from Dinsor towards Buale, and from Burhakaba towards Lower
Shabelle.
The Union of Islamic Courts (ICU), which have been
controlling large swathes of southern Somali, were said to have retreated from
Kismayo to Mogadishu on Wednesday before beginning the pullout from Mogadishu on
Thursday when the Ethiopian troops approached.
Ethiopia conducted air strikes on airports in Mogadishu
and Baledogle, 100 km northwest of Mogadishu, on Monday.
TFG forces and their allies have now taken control of
several areas from the ICU, including the towns of Bandiradley, Beletweyne and
Bulo Burti, and Dinsor and Burhakaba.
The United Nations Humanitarian Office for Somalia
said the fighting had displaced as many as 9,000 people from Mogadishu and the
neighboring Bay region towards the Shabelles, Buale.
Most of the people who have been displaced from Mogadishu
were recently displaced by floods and returning to their homes when the fighting
erupted.
"It is estimated that 30 percent of residents remain
locally displaced. In Bay, movement is also being reported from Burhakaba and
Idale to various points, though exact figures are unconfirmed,"the UN said.
Related:
Somali gov't forces to control
capital
ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's Transitional
Federal Government (TFG) forces would control Mogadishu very soon, said TFG Vice
Defense Minister Salad Ali Jelle on Wednesday. Full Story
UN envoy urges council to call for halt in Somalia conflict
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- A UN envoy on Tuesday urged the Security Council to call on all sides involved in the Somalia conflict to immediately halt the fighting. Full Story
About 35,000 Somalis cross into Kenya
to escape fightings
NAIROBI, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Some 35,000 Somalis have
crossed into Kenya, fleeing heavy fighting which erupted between Ethiopian
troops and the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), UN officials said here on
Wednesday. Full Story
 |
|
Soldiers of the Union of Islamic Courts
in the street of Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, Jun. 18,
2006.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)
Photo Gallery
>>> |
Ethiopian, Somali gov't troops seize key southern
town
NAIROBI, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian and Somali
government troops seized a key southern town from the Islamic courts on their
way to the capital of Mogadishu, reports reaching here said on Wednesday.
The reports said the forces have taken over the town
Jowhar while heading towards Mogadishu. Jowhar is the last major town on the
northern road to the capital. Full
Story
Ethiopian jets bomb Somali airports
taken by militants
BEIJING, Dec. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Ethiopian jets dominated
Somalia's skies on Monday and bombed the country's two main airports while
ground troops captured a strategic border town, providing Somalia's
internationally backed government crucial military aid in its struggle against a
powerful Islamic militia, media reports said Tuesday.
The Russian-made jets swept low over the capital at
midmorning, dropping two bombs on Mogadishu International Airport, which was
just recently reopened after the Islamic takeover of the city. The leader of the
Islamic militia, Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, flew into the airport shortly after
the attack; it was not clear if he was an intended target. Full Story
PM: Ethiopian forces' mission is to
"protect Ethiopia from mujahidin threat"
ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi said Tuesday the mission of Ethiopian forces is to protect the
country from the threat by mujahidin.
"They pose a very serious threat to us. A clear and
present danger as our parliament described it. Our mission is to stop that by
degrading their military capability to hurt us. Once we have done that, we have
completed our mission," Meles told a press conference. Full Story
More Related Stories >>>
