By Mohamed Olad Hassan, Associated Press; Associated Press writers Salad Duhul and Mohamed Sheik Nor contributed to this report
Published December 23, 2006
newsinisideMOGADISHU, Somalia -- Somalia's Ethiopian-backed government and its rivals in an Islamic movement fought to a bloody standstill Friday, and geared up for a major push as villagers fled.
Islamic forces who have declared they want to bring the whole country under Koranic rule promised to continue attacks to drive out troops from neighboring Ethiopia, a largely Christian nation that is providing military support to the government.
Late Friday, Ethiopia in a statement accused the Islamic movement of crossing into its territory.
"The situation in Somalia has turned from bad to worse," the statement said. "Ethiopia has been patient so far but there is a limit to this."
Ethiopia denies its forces are fighting, but says it has deployed several hundred military trainers in support of Somalia's UN-backed transitional government.
Government officials said more than 600 Islamic fighters have been killed in four days of clashes. The Islamic militia said it killed around 400 Ethiopians and government fighters. Neither claim could be confirmed independently.
Families in the area of the fighting were abandoning their homes, crops and livestock. Hundreds of people in areas held by the Islamic forces also were fleeing south to the capital, Mogadishu.
"I think we have lost hundreds of our animals in the fighting; most of them were caught in the crossfire," said Malable Aden, who reached Mogadishu by car. "We were supposed to reap our harvest of this season, but unfortunately we were forced to leave them behind for the pigs and birds to destroy them."
In Kismayu, a strategic seaport held by the Islamic militia, residents claimed to have seen several foreign fighters getting off ships. The UN issued a statement calling for an immediate end to the conflict. It accused both sides of using increasing numbers of child soldiers. "This conflict will push the children of Somalia into further dire crisis," the UN said.
The United Nations fears fighting will prevent aid from reaching hundreds of thousands who need help because of hunger and flooding. The fighting comes after a drought last year and devastating flooding this year.
Source: AP, Dec 23, 2006