22/12/08 (B478-B) La violence continue en Somalie. (3 articles en Anglais)

_______________________________ 3 – SABA (Ye) (En Anglais)

Les autorités yéménites démentent les informations sur des opérations de contrebande d’armes en provenance de Somalie. // Yemen to refute information on ban on importing somali weapons

Yemen is to refute misleading information on a ban on importing weapons from Somalia, a source at the Foreign ministry has said.

Yemen is mostly affected by instability and deteriorating situation in Somalia and these effects are reflected by the influx of Somali refugees fleeing civil conflict and humanitarian deterioration in their country as they arrive in Yemen’s coasts almost daily, the source made clear.

Latest figures say almost 1 million Somalis have already arrived in Yemen, an issue which the government says lays more burdens on the country’s fragile economy and sometimes leads to social, security and health repercussions, the source added.

Furthermore, smuggling weapons is sometimes associated with the arriving of displaced Somalis.

Yemen has strengthened its efforts to combat the smuggling of weapons from African countries with Yemeni coastguards thwarting many attempts to traffic weapons through the country’s coasts.

Yemen reiterates its readiness to cooperate with the UN and all regional concerned parties to fight piracy and all forms of weapon smuggling, the issues resulted due to the situation in Somalia where there is not a central government.

The source said Yemen renews calls on the international community to help bring stability and security to Somali as well as supporting Somalis to reorganize the country’s institutions.

_______________________________ 2 – Shabelle (En Anglais)

Les forces éthiopiennes accusées d’avoir tué 70 personnes dans la région de Dhagahbur et d’avoir même refusé qu’elles soient enterrées.// Ethiopia accused of Killing 70 people.

Western Somali liberation front (WSLF) has accused the Ethiopian troops of killing seventy Somali ethnic people in Abarsan District in Dhagahbur region, officials said on Saturday.

Sheik Ibrahim Mohamed Hassan, a leader of the Western Somali Liberation Front (WSLF), said the Ethiopian soldiers refused the bodies to be buried after killing them.

He accused the Ethiopian troops of ethnic cleansing in the region and called for the world to intervene.

There are no confirmed reports about the leader’s statement.

Human Rights Watch has recently accused Ethiopia of limiting access to the region and had hit out at Western donors for failing to condemn war crimes on the mainly ethnically Somali people of the region.

Ahmednor Mohamed Farah

________________________________ 1 – Shabelle (En Anglais)

De violents accrochages à l’arme lourde, entre les milices islamiques et les forces gouvernementales sont à l’origine de la mort d’un soldat et de 10 civils blessés. // Deadly clashes erupts in Mogadishu

Deadly clashes used with heavy weapons between the Islamist groups and the government soldiers have killed one and injured more than ten civilians at Wardhigley district in Mogadishu last night.

This bitter fighting has first begun at Foleranza intersection and lately intensified more other residences around where the clashes started. More motor shells have also been reported to have fallen in Bakara market which caused more casualties including deaths and wounds as well as loss of property in the market. As witnesses in the market told Shabelle this morning.

Barre Ali Barre who described himself that he is the spokesman of the Islamist group known as Jabalu Islamiya has claimed the responsibility of the fighting and told to Shabelle radio that they have attacked the bases of the government and Ethiopian troops in Mogadishu and inflicted more casualties.

The deadly and heavy battle which has taken place in Mogadishu last night is part of more other attacks and explosions those are always targeted to the foreign and government troops by the Islamist insurgents who are against to the presence of the foreign troops in Mogadishu and government policy.