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| Heavy fighting erupts in Somalia | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Heavy fighting has broken out on at least two fronts near the weak Somali interim government's base in Baidoa. | |
| A deadline from Islamists for Ethiopia to withdraw troops from Somalia or face "major attacks" expired on Tuesday. | A deadline from Islamists for Ethiopia to withdraw troops from Somalia or face "major attacks" expired on Tuesday. |
| Residents say pro-government forces and the Islamic militia exchanged mortar shells at Burhakaba, 25km from Baidoa. | Residents say pro-government forces and the Islamic militia exchanged mortar shells at Burhakaba, 25km from Baidoa. |
| A European Union envoy is in Baidoa meeting officials. There are fears an all-out war would plunge the entire Horn of Africa region into crisis. | A European Union envoy is in Baidoa meeting officials. There are fears an all-out war would plunge the entire Horn of Africa region into crisis. |
| Clashes | Clashes |
| "I can confirm to you that heavy fighting has already started around several front line areas," Islamic commander Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal told AFP news agency. | "I can confirm to you that heavy fighting has already started around several front line areas," Islamic commander Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal told AFP news agency. |
| See map of flashpoints | See map of flashpoints |
| Other residents told the BBC the base was now in UIC hands, but this has not been confirmed by either side. | Other residents told the BBC the base was now in UIC hands, but this has not been confirmed by either side. |
| Government commander Ibrahim Batari accused the Islamists of mounting the attack. "There is shelling everywhere... our forces are facing Islamists, hell is going on," he said. | Government commander Ibrahim Batari accused the Islamists of mounting the attack. "There is shelling everywhere... our forces are facing Islamists, hell is going on," he said. |
| "I can hear sounds of bullets, rockets from the side where the defence lines of the Islamic courts and the government are," a resident in the government's military base in Dayunay some 25km (15 miles) southeast of Baidoa, told Reuters news agency. | "I can hear sounds of bullets, rockets from the side where the defence lines of the Islamic courts and the government are," a resident in the government's military base in Dayunay some 25km (15 miles) southeast of Baidoa, told Reuters news agency. |
| Clashes have also broken out in Moode Moode - a village off the Dayunay-Burhakaba road. | Clashes have also broken out in Moode Moode - a village off the Dayunay-Burhakaba road. |
| "Islamic militias have attacked us and the fighting is continuing," the government's deputy defence minister, Salad Ali Jelle, told Associated Press news agency about the Moode Moode fighting. | "Islamic militias have attacked us and the fighting is continuing," the government's deputy defence minister, Salad Ali Jelle, told Associated Press news agency about the Moode Moode fighting. |
| There is also heavy fighting and at least one death being reported near Idale, some 60km (37 miles) south Baidoa, after skirmishes on Tuesday evening. | There is also heavy fighting and at least one death being reported near Idale, some 60km (37 miles) south Baidoa, after skirmishes on Tuesday evening. |
| "Last evening, a reconnaissance team from the government and the Islamic courts clashed [in Idale]," Mr Jelle told Reuters on Wednesday. | "Last evening, a reconnaissance team from the government and the Islamic courts clashed [in Idale]," Mr Jelle told Reuters on Wednesday. |
| "But this morning, ground troops from both sides exchanged mortars from a distance." | "But this morning, ground troops from both sides exchanged mortars from a distance." |
| 'Dialogue' | 'Dialogue' |
| EU development chief Louis Michel also plans to travel to the capital, Mogadishu, to meet leaders of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) on a mission to get peace talks to resume. | EU development chief Louis Michel also plans to travel to the capital, Mogadishu, to meet leaders of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) on a mission to get peace talks to resume. |
| The BBC's Adam Mynott in Baidoa says the town is in a precarious situation, with guns seen everywhere. | The BBC's Adam Mynott in Baidoa says the town is in a precarious situation, with guns seen everywhere. |
| There are soldiers armed with AK-47s, technicals - pick-up trucks mounted with heavy weapons - and Ethiopian troops at Baidoa airport, he says. | There are soldiers armed with AK-47s, technicals - pick-up trucks mounted with heavy weapons - and Ethiopian troops at Baidoa airport, he says. |
| The Islamists have been receiving assistance from Eritrea | The Islamists have been receiving assistance from Eritrea |
| Mr Michel has held talks with Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi, and is meeting with MPs before flying to the capital. | Mr Michel has held talks with Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi, and is meeting with MPs before flying to the capital. |
| On Tuesday, Ethiopian Information Minister Birhan Hailu told the BBC that his country was always ready for dialogue, but said the Islamists were not willing to talk with the transitional government. | On Tuesday, Ethiopian Information Minister Birhan Hailu told the BBC that his country was always ready for dialogue, but said the Islamists were not willing to talk with the transitional government. |
| "We don't have troops in Somalia, but as we have said so many times, we have a limited number of military advisers to support the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. | "We don't have troops in Somalia, but as we have said so many times, we have a limited number of military advisers to support the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. |
| "The Ethiopian government is always ready to have peace talks with anybody in Somalia, and we wish a peaceful solution to the problem in Somalia." | "The Ethiopian government is always ready to have peace talks with anybody in Somalia, and we wish a peaceful solution to the problem in Somalia." |
| War | War |
| Earlier this week, the UIC appeared to backtrack on an ultimatum for Ethiopians troops to leave Somalia or face a holy war. | Earlier this week, the UIC appeared to backtrack on an ultimatum for Ethiopians troops to leave Somalia or face a holy war. |
| UIC spokesman Abdi-Rahiin Ali Mudey said the Islamists would not attack the Ethiopians or Baidoa, but wanted talks. | UIC spokesman Abdi-Rahiin Ali Mudey said the Islamists would not attack the Ethiopians or Baidoa, but wanted talks. |
| On Saturday, Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said the movement was prepared for "dialogue" with Ethiopia. | On Saturday, Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said the movement was prepared for "dialogue" with Ethiopia. |
| In Yemen, he announced a deal with the speaker of the Somali parliament to resume talks after they collapsed last month. | In Yemen, he announced a deal with the speaker of the Somali parliament to resume talks after they collapsed last month. |
| But other Islamist officials were being reported on Tuesday as saying they are "now in the last stages of preparing for full-scale war" against Ethiopian forces inside Somalia. | But other Islamist officials were being reported on Tuesday as saying they are "now in the last stages of preparing for full-scale war" against Ethiopian forces inside Somalia. |
| The government says talks could resume if the Islamists stopped making threats. Last week, interim President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed ruled out any further talks. | The government says talks could resume if the Islamists stopped making threats. Last week, interim President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed ruled out any further talks. |
| Islamic leaders deny accusations of al-Qaeda links. | Islamic leaders deny accusations of al-Qaeda links. |
| Click to return | Click to return |