Blast kills 4 Ethiopian troops in Somalia

April 29, 2008 (MOGADISHU) — An explosion in southwestern Somalia killed four Ethiopian troops and prompted the soldiers to open fire, killing two civilians, witnesses said Tuesday.

The explosion Monday afternoon in Baidoa, 250 kilometers southwest of the capital, also wounded two Ethiopian soldiers, said local resident Asha Madey Abdi.

Sheikh Muqtar Roble said the Ethiopian troops opened fire after the explosion, killing two civilians and wounding another two. It was not clear what caused the blast.

Ethiopian troops supporting Somalia’s shaky transitional government come under daily attack from Islamic insurgents, whom they drove out of the capital in December 2006. The insurgents receive support from Ethiopia’s archenemy Eritrea.

In a separate incident, 10 people were killed and 11 wounded in a land dispute in southwestern Somalia, officials said.

Regional Governor Xersi Cirro said regional forces were sent to Gedo region after Monday night’s clashes to mediate the dispute.

Resident Mohamed Salihi said the fighting was the worst in recent months and took place in rural areas where there are no well-equipped hospitals.

Disputes over land, water and pasture rights are common in Somalia, which has not had a functioning government since 1991. The impoverished country is riven between warring clans and awash with weapons.

(AP)