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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Foreign troops launch Somali raid | Foreign troops launch Somali raid |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Foreign soldiers have staged an attack on militants in Somalia, killing at least two people in a helicopter raid. | Foreign soldiers have staged an attack on militants in Somalia, killing at least two people in a helicopter raid. |
| The troops, who according to some reports had uniforms with French insignia, attacked a vehicle carrying Islamists from the al-Shabab group. | The troops, who according to some reports had uniforms with French insignia, attacked a vehicle carrying Islamists from the al-Shabab group. |
| Witnesses said the troops took away two men, and there were two bodies left in the road after the attack in the southern coastal town of Barawe. | Witnesses said the troops took away two men, and there were two bodies left in the road after the attack in the southern coastal town of Barawe. |
| A French military spokesman denied its forces were involved. | A French military spokesman denied its forces were involved. |
| "There was no French operation," said admiral Christophe Prazuck, spokesman for the armed forces' general staff. | "There was no French operation," said admiral Christophe Prazuck, spokesman for the armed forces' general staff. |
| He said the only French forces in the area were tackling pirates off the coast and did not intervene on land. | He said the only French forces in the area were tackling pirates off the coast and did not intervene on land. |
| Witness Dahir Ahmed said that the helicopters had taken off from a nearby warship flying a French flag. | Witness Dahir Ahmed said that the helicopters had taken off from a nearby warship flying a French flag. |
| Islamist extremists are battling government forces | Islamist extremists are battling government forces |
| A village elder told the AFP news agency that four foreign helicopters were involved in the raid. | A village elder told the AFP news agency that four foreign helicopters were involved in the raid. |
| "We heard the explosion and saw two helicopters flying over us," said Mohamed Ali Aden, a bus driver who drove past the burnt-out car minutes after the attack. | "We heard the explosion and saw two helicopters flying over us," said Mohamed Ali Aden, a bus driver who drove past the burnt-out car minutes after the attack. |
| "There was only a burning vehicle and two dead bodies lying beside." | "There was only a burning vehicle and two dead bodies lying beside." |
| Neither Somali government nor Islamist forces have helicopters. | Neither Somali government nor Islamist forces have helicopters. |
| French commandos have launched raids in the past to rescue their citizens from pirates or militants. There is a French military base in neighbouring Djibouti. | French commandos have launched raids in the past to rescue their citizens from pirates or militants. There is a French military base in neighbouring Djibouti. |
| The assault comes several weeks after a French security adviser held by militants in Mogadishu managed to get free. A colleague seized at the same time remains in captivity. | The assault comes several weeks after a French security adviser held by militants in Mogadishu managed to get free. A colleague seized at the same time remains in captivity. |
| The US has also carried out air strikes against Somali Islamist groups it accused of links to al-Qaeda in recent years. | The US has also carried out air strikes against Somali Islamist groups it accused of links to al-Qaeda in recent years. |
| Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991. | Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991. |
| Rival Islamist factions are battling forces loyal to the weak UN-backed government, which controls only small parts of the capital Mogadishu. | Rival Islamist factions are battling forces loyal to the weak UN-backed government, which controls only small parts of the capital Mogadishu. |