Islamists in retreat!
Somalian Islamic leaders threaten suicide attacks inside of Ethiopia!
Transitional Federal Government soldiers sit on a truck in Burhakaba, Somalia, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006. Islamic fighters were in a tactical retreat Tuesday, a senior Islamic leader said, as government and Ethiopian troops advanced on three fronts in a decisive turnaround in the battle for control of Somalia. (AP Photo)
The Sudan Tribune reports that the Somalian Islamists are suffering heavy casualties.
Ethiopia says that about half of its mission is already complete in Somalia as the Somalian government called on the Islamic Council to lay down their arms!
The AP reported:
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Islamic fighters retreated Tuesday as Somali government and Ethiopian troops advanced on three fronts in a decisive turn in the battle for control of this Horn of Africa nation.
Somalia’s internationally backed government called on the Council of Islamic Courts to surrender and promised amnesty if they lay down their weapons, spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said from Baidoa, the seat of the interim administration.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, whose military openly joined the war Sunday after weeks of quietly aiding the Somali government, said his forces had completed about half their mission.
“As soon as we have accomplished our mission — and about half of our mission is done, and the rest shouldn’t take long — we’ll be out,” Meles told reporters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Aljazeera has an audio report available on the situation, via Ethiomedia
A destroyed truck belonging to Islamic Courts soldiers lies beside a road at Burhakaba, Somalia, Tuesday, Dec 26, 2006. (Yahoo)
Islamic leaders in Somalia threatened suicide attacks inside of Ethiopia!
Ethiopian Media has this on the retreating Islamists:
Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, leader of the Council of Islamic Courts’ executive body, said the group had asked its troops to withdraw from some areas.
“The war is entering a new phase,” he said. “We will fight Ethiopia for a long, long time and we expect the war to go everyplace.”
Ahmed declined to explain is comments in greater detail, but some Islamic leaders have threatened a guerrilla war to include suicide bombings in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
Patrick Mazimhaka, the deputy chairman of the African Union Commission, expressed support for Somalia’s government and defended Ethiopia’s military advances.
Ethiopia says the job is about half complete.
A map of Somalia locating the latest fighting. Ethiopia said its forces backing the weak Somali government had dealt a massive blow to Islamists, forcing them to retreat after days of battles that claimed more than 1,000 lives.(AFP Graphic)
It looks like Somali.net may have taken down their bogus chopper shots.
Previously:
Jihad Declared! Islamists Arrive by Ship to Somalia!
Ethiopia Declares War on Somalia!
Busted!! Somalian Islamists & Their Bogus Chopper Shots!
