Clashes fuel fears of war in Horn of Africa

Officials in Nairobi foresee a full-scale conflict brewing between Somali government forces backed by Ethiopia and The Somali Council of Islamic Courts, which controls most of south-central Somalia and is making gains in its war to impede the emergence of any secular government and establish a government that rules by Islamic law. The UN has recommended that African troops prop up the embattled Somali government. Officials say that a full-blown war could start at any minute because both sides are in such close proximity.

Heavy clashes between Islamist militiamen and forces loyal to Somalia’s government continued for a second day yesterday, as fears of an imminent war in the Horn of Africa mounted.

The fighting centred around Maddoy, 25 miles south of Baidoa, the temporary capital and the only town that the weak transitional federal government controls. Witnesses who reported heavy shelling said Ethiopian troops formed part of the government contingent.

While information remains sketchy – due to the dangers in Somalia even local correspondents for the international news agencies are reporting on the clashes from Mogadishu, 150 miles to the east – both sides suffered casualties, perhaps more than two dozen.

The fighting appear to be the fiercest yet between militiamen allied to the Somali Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC), which controls most of south-central Somalia, and Ethiopian-backed government troops. The SCIC has been steadily approaching Baidoa in recent weeks and has taken most of the surrounding towns and villages.

Salad Ali Jelle, the government’s Deputy Defence Minister, told Reuters yesterday that ‘war could start any minute because we are so close to each other’.

Posted by Partisano
Nací en Estados Unidos y tengo 22 años. Soy de origen español. Soy estudiante de uni y obrero. Soy partidario del sindicalismo y el socialismo libertario. Trato, por mi parte, luchar por un futuro mejor. En esencia soy un ser libre y amante de la aventura....