Somali fighting is 'full scale war' - Islamist

By DPA
Dec 21, 2006, 13:00 GMT

Mogadishu - A leader of Somalia's Islamists has called fighting near the government's base 'a full scale war,' blaming neighbouring Ethiopia for starting the violence.

Fighting between the Islamists and forces loyal to the transitional government continued Thursday, a day after both sides agreed to return to peace talks.

The two sides exchanged missile, artillery and mortar fire for a second day near the interim government's seat of Baidoa about 250 kilometres west of the capital Mogadishu.

'It seems that Ethiopia started the full scale war,' said Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, the leader who is charged by the US of having ties to al-Qaeda. 'The fighting will spark the entire region and it will be disastrous for Ethiopia.'

Several hundred Ethiopian troops were sent to Somalia, said to be training the government troops but the Islamists claim there are thousands of them fighting alongside the government forces. The Islamists have vowed to wage jihad (holy war) on any Ethiopian soldier in Somalia.

Each side blamed the other for intentionally violating a recently announced agreement to de-escalate the violence and attend peace talks without any preconditions, a diplomatic push made by the EU on Wednesday.

'The Islamists started the fighting to violate the EU's peace bid,' said Salad Ali Jelle, the government's Deputy Defence Minister.

On Wednesday, EU envoy Louis Michel met with both sides and convinced them to return to 'unconditional' peace talks.

His visit came after clashes overnight Tuesday and Wednesday in Buulo Jadiid, 20 kilometres east of Baidoa and Idale, 60 kilometres to south-west of the city in which both sides claimed to have killed dozens of enemy fighters. On Wednesday, missiles were fired near Dooynuunay, 20 kilometres east of Baidoa.

Jelle said some 71 Islamic militiamen had been killed and more than 200 wounded in the fighting. Islamist officials said their forces killed 70 Ethiopian troops. These claims had not been independently verified.

Jelle also said two Islamist fighters killed were foreigners.

Ukurey Isaak, a witness from nearby Dinsoor, told Deutsche Presse- Agentur dpa she saw 40 bodies of 'mostly innocent people' in and around Idale.

The clashes broke out overnight Tuesday, a day after a deadline set by the Islamists expired, warning Ethiopia to remove its troops from the country or face attacks.

The fighting came as both sides agreed to restart peace talks, in an effort to bring some sort of stability to the anarchic nation.

Tensions have been high for months, as both sides have been gearing up for a confrontation.

The Islamists, who took the capital Mogadishu in June and now control most of south-central Somalia, seek to establish an Islamic state based on Sharia (Islamic) law. The internationally-backed secular government is limited to its base in Baidoa and has been propped up by Ethiopian troops.

Experts warn an all-out war could break out that potentially escalate into a regional crisis. Ethiopian soldiers in the country are said to be training government forces while neighbouring Eritrea is said to have troops fighting for the Islamists.

The UN agreed to send a peacekeeping mission to the Horn of Africa nation - protection the government has demanded but the Islamists have vehemently opposed.