Somali Islamists withdraw from Ethiopia’s Somali region

Oct 2, 2006 (MOGADISHU) — The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) militias, which arrived in Dacdheer in Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State Sunday, pulled back from the area after the arrival of many Ethiopian troops.

The UIC militia pulled out of the area after the arrival of Ethiopian troops who were armed with armoured vehicles. There were fears of clashes between the two in Dacdheer and Qorof, Somali radio Shabeelle reported.

At first the UIC militias arrived in the area in order to mediate between the rival clans that clashed in the area.

The UIC militias have arrived in Gelinsoor. While in Dacdheer and Qorof, they held meetings with clan elders of the rival clans.

More than 20 people were killed, and more injured following recent fighting in Dacdheer and Qorof.

Somalia’s Islamic fighters have seized control of a strategic village near the Ethiopian border, the group said on Saturday.

Fighters loyal to the radical Union of Islamic Courts group routed pro-government militia from the village of Jawill, some 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Ethiopian border. The only roads between Ethiopia and central Somalia pass through the village.

“The militiamen who controlled this village had a good relationship with Ethiopia so we decided they were an obstacle to our control in the region,” said Hassan Abdirahman, whose Islamic fighters carried out the operation. Some 200 fighters carried out the attack, he said.

Local resident Abdi Risaq said that three pro-government militiamen and one fighter with the Union of Islamic Courts were killed during Friday’s gunbattle for the village, the AP said.

The Islamic courts cemented their authority over southern Somalia Saturday when they were handed control of the fertile lower Shabelle region, an area just south of the capital, by an ally, Yusuf Indahaadde. The national security chairman for the Islamic courts had governed the region since 2003.

(ST)