Ethiopia, Somali forces kill 71 militants

By Tesfa-alem Tekle

July 4,2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — Joint forces of Ethiopia and the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia(TFG) in a military raid in Meteban and Gura’el areas over the past few days killed 71 militants that belong to Al-Shebab and Islamic courts Union, spokesperson for state Ministry of defense said.

Among the dead, 13 of them were told to be in the leadership of the terror network. The insurgents were killed during an operation launched in central regions late last week.

According to the spokesperson, the “terrorist” operatives were destroyed after they attempt to launch a large-scale offensives against joint forces.

“Among the dead top leaders of the groups a Canadian citizen whose name is in the international terrorists’ list is included” the spokesperson said adding “he has been working as a military leader to the network and has been wanted by America”

During the joint military mission a big amount of weapon were seized,a patrol vehicle burnt and the rest of the group run away in disarray.

Conflict in Somalia has killed 2,136 civilians so far this year, bringing the death toll since an Islamist-led insurgency began in early 2007 to 8,636, a local human rights group said last week.

The Mogadishu-based Elman Peace and Human Rights Organisation said it had also recorded 11,790 civilian injuries since the start of last year, when rebels began attacking the Somali government and its Ethiopian military allies.

The African Union had planned to send 8,000 soldiers to the capital Mogadishu to support the U.N.-backed interim government, which faces an insurgency by Islamist rebels.

(ST)