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Somali president calls emergency | Somali president calls emergency |
(20 minutes later) | |
Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has declared a state of emergency in the country. | Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has declared a state of emergency in the country. |
He told a news conference in Mogadishu it was because of "intensifying violence across the country". | He told a news conference in Mogadishu it was because of "intensifying violence across the country". |
The fragile UN-backed transitional government is coming under intense pressure from Islamist militias that control swathes of the country. | The fragile UN-backed transitional government is coming under intense pressure from Islamist militias that control swathes of the country. |
On Saturday, Somalia asked for urgent foreign military intervention - a call backed by the African Union. | On Saturday, Somalia asked for urgent foreign military intervention - a call backed by the African Union. |
"As of today, the country is under a state of emergency," President Ahmed told reporters in the capital, according to AFP news agency. | "As of today, the country is under a state of emergency," President Ahmed told reporters in the capital, according to AFP news agency. |
However it is not clear what difference this will make on the ground. | |
President Ahmed, a moderate Islamist, took office in January but even his introduction of Sharia law to the strongly Muslim country has not appeased the guerrillas. | President Ahmed, a moderate Islamist, took office in January but even his introduction of Sharia law to the strongly Muslim country has not appeased the guerrillas. |
Since 7 May, an alliance of militant Islamist hardliners, which controls much of southern Somalia and parts of the capital Mogadishu, has been locked in ferocious battles with pro-government forces. | |
Last week alone, the security minister, Mogadishu's police chief and an MP were killed. | Last week alone, the security minister, Mogadishu's police chief and an MP were killed. |
Somali bomber | Somali bomber |
On Saturday, parliamentary speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur asked for foreign intervention within 24 hours to help prop up the government. | On Saturday, parliamentary speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur asked for foreign intervention within 24 hours to help prop up the government. |
He said the radical Islamist group al-Shabab, which is accused of links to al-Qaeda, was using foreign fighters. | He said the radical Islamist group al-Shabab, which is accused of links to al-Qaeda, was using foreign fighters. |
But al-Shabab says the suicide bomber who killed Security Minister Omar Hashi Aden and at least 34 others in Beledweyne last Thursday was a Somali man and named him as Mohamed Deerow Sheikh Adam. | But al-Shabab says the suicide bomber who killed Security Minister Omar Hashi Aden and at least 34 others in Beledweyne last Thursday was a Somali man and named him as Mohamed Deerow Sheikh Adam. |
On Monday, AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping said in a statement the Somali government had "the right to seek support from AU member-states and the larger international community". | On Monday, AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping said in a statement the Somali government had "the right to seek support from AU member-states and the larger international community". |
The African Union has some 4,300 peacekeepers in Mogadishu, but its mandate prevents them from attacking the Islamist hardliners except for in self-defence. | The African Union has some 4,300 peacekeepers in Mogadishu, but its mandate prevents them from attacking the Islamist hardliners except for in self-defence. |
The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says all eyes are on Ethiopia to see if it will respond to the plea for intervention. | The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says all eyes are on Ethiopia to see if it will respond to the plea for intervention. |
Ethiopia's troops left Somalia in January under a UN peace deal after spending two years helping government forces against insurgents. | |
On Sunday, Ethiopian Information Minister Bereket Simon said: "Any further action from Ethiopia regarding Somalia will be done according to international community decision." | On Sunday, Ethiopian Information Minister Bereket Simon said: "Any further action from Ethiopia regarding Somalia will be done according to international community decision." |
Our correspondent says it remains to be seen whether the AU's blessing is enough to tempt Ethiopia to return. | |
Somalia has been without an effective government since 1991. | |
Its transitional government controls only parts of Mogadishu, but little of the rest of the country. | Its transitional government controls only parts of Mogadishu, but little of the rest of the country. |
Some four million people in Somalia - or about one-third of the population - need food aid, according to aid agencies. | Some four million people in Somalia - or about one-third of the population - need food aid, according to aid agencies. |