Tag Archives: Somalia

The ICU appears to be backing down on an ultimatum for Ethiopian to withdraw from Somalia. Yemen is attempting to broker a peace agreement between the ICU and Ethiopian. A TFG minister claims no government militias defected to the Islamists. The ICU has arrested two more reporters in Mogadishu.

The chairman of the ICU and the TFG parliament speaker met in Yemen. A Puntland Islamic Courts is urging Somalis to fight the Ethiopians. A bomb was detonated behind a Mogadishu hotel owned by a “leading Islamic Courts ally and financer,” and may have targeted an ICU official.

Civilians flee the area of Baidoa as both the TFG and UIC prepare for combat. The ICU-issued deadline for Ethopians to leave the country by Tuesday draws closer. Pakistan issued a denial that it supports the UIC.

Thousands of ICU fighters have surrounded Baidoa, the only remaining town under the control of Somalia TFG. Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi claims that as many as 3,000 foreign fighters are fighting alongside the ICU with more arriving every day.

Fighting broke out 19 miles southwest of Baidoa. The ICU held a demonstration in Mogadishu to protest the U.N. proposal for African Union troop deployments to Somalia. Uganda is ready to send a battalion once its Parliament approves the engagement.

The United Nations endorsed an African peacekeeping force in Somalia. The ICU opposes the move, saying it would, “contribute to further instability.” Eritrea denies having troops in Somalia. The ICU has announced that residents of a southern Somalia town who do not pray five times a day will be beheaded.

Ethiopia in “technical” state of war with Somalia’s SICC as the UN-backed transitional government rules out negotiations with the SICC and bans cars entering Baidoa from Mogadishu after last week’s suicide attack. All-out war could begin within two weeks as the rainy season ends.

An Ethiopian minister met with the Islamic Courts, but the ICU denies it. The speaker of the TFG parliament says Ehtiopian must withdraw its “15,000” troops.” The ICU claims to have reached an agreement with IGAD not to deploy African troops. The ICU has given Somalis 7 days to turn in their weapons.

Aweys on Shabelle Radio: “We will launch a jihad war against any foreign forces deployed in Somalia regardless of which country they are from.” The TFG approves of a UNSC draft resolution calling for peacekeepers. “Foreign intervention will only destabilize Somalia,” warned the Eritrian government.

Thursday’s death toll in the suicide attack on Baidoa hits 8 and the UIC distanced itself from the operation. TFG claims that 350 militia defected earlier this week, marking the first time that militamen have left the UIC.

Baidoa hit by suicide attack as pressure builds for international action against the UIC. Ethiopian parliament authorizes military action. UIC forces appear to be closing in on Baidoa, detonating remote-controlled bomb on Ethiopian lorry 18 km outside of the seat of the TFG. UN moves closer to adopting a draft resolution that will both tighten […]

The Islamic Courts will invite “foreign fighters” if the UN arms embargo is lifted (note: al Qaeda is already there.) The Ethiopians and the ICU exchanged mortar fire in Puntland. Ethiopian forces have moved south towards Galkayo. A raido reporter was held for three days by the ICU and beaten.

Kenya denies the presence of Ethiopian and U.S. troops at the Somali border. Puntland arrested a shiekh who called for jihad. The ICU closed cinemas and then imposed a curfew in Bulo Burde, and will seize weapons from Mogadishu businessmen.

The Islamic Courts has “dispatched thousands of troops Sunday to within 15 kilometers” of the Ethiopian border. The ICU rallied in the border town of Abudwaq, and has banned weapons. Over 3,000 TFG cadet graduates have been deployed in Baidoa.

The ICU “openly declared a holy war against Ethiopians.” Ethiopia has sent hundreds more troops to reinforce Baidoa. The ICU has sent in a force of 30 technicals to control Abudwaq, on the Ethiopian border. Over 22,000 Somalia have left for Yemen to escape the ICU.

The Ethiopian government “is making the necessary preparations for war,” said Prime Minister Meles. TFG President Yusuf is heading to Puntland. A local militia in the town of Abudwaq near the Ethiopian border has retaken a police station form the ICU.

Ethiopian troops are patroling a road in Baidoa and have imposed a curfew in a town in central Somalia. A TFG Colonel defected to the ICU. A radio station near the Ethiopian border was closed after callers express opposition to the ICU. Khat kiosks in the Hiran region are shut down.