11/12/06 (B373) BBC : les forces des Tribunaux islamistes se rapprochent de la frontière éthiopienne dans l’intention, disent certains responsables d’isoler la ville de Baïdoa et le GNT en coupant la liaison avec l’Ethiopie. Les risques d’un conflit généralisé sont de plus en plus élevés. (En Anglais – Info lectrice)

Lien
: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/6170219.stm

Islamists target Ethiopia
border

Somali Islamist fighters are heading for a town near the border with Ethiopia,
aiming to cut off the government base in Baidoa, they say.

The Islamists
accuse Ethiopia of fighting with the forces of the government in Baidoa –
charges denied by Ethiopia.

The military
build-up in the town of Tiyeglow follows fierce fighting on Friday and Saturday.

There
are fears of a regional conflict breaking out in Somalia.

Meanwhile,
Uganda has said it will not send peacekeeping troops to Somalia unless security
improves.

We will
go to all border towns in our country to deprive our enemy of a route to enter
into our country

Last week,
the UN Security Council approved plans for an African peacekeeping force but
Uganda was the only country whose troops were named as ready to go.
The Islamists reject the idea of sending foreign peacekeepers.
Government movement

Tiyeglow
is about 150 kilometres (90 miles) north-east of Baidoa, the only town the
government controls, on the main road to Baidoa from Ethiopia.

"Our
fighters, with large number of battle wagons, are now advancing on Tiyeglow,"
said Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) official Mohamed Ibrahim Bilaal.

"We will go
to all border towns in our country to deprive our enemy [Ethiopia] of a route
to enter into our country."

Government
commander Mohamed Ali Gaboobe said they had sent some 700 troops to Tiyeglow
on Sunday to prevent "Islamist expansion".

On Friday,
a senior UIC official called on all Somalis to join their fight against Ethiopia.

Ethiopia
denies taking part in fighting but admits to having hundreds of military trainers
in Baidoa.

Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi says Ethiopia has made preparations in case of an Islamist
attack.

Analysts
says the clashes and artillery exchanges that took place south-west of Baidoa
on Friday and Saturday could be the opening shots of the long-anticipated
war for control of Somalia.

Ugandan
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Oryem Okello told Reuters news agency
that there could be "all-out war" in Somalia.

"We
have decided that at this particular time, we should not go to Somalia,"
he said. The UIC has taken control of most of southern Somalia since taking
the capital Mogadishu in June.

Story
from BBC NEWS: