Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides)- There is heavy fighting near Dinsoor, 100 km from Baidoa where the Somalia’s interim government has its headquarters. According to local sources the conflict is between troops of the Islamic Courts which control Mogadishu and interim government troops backed by Ethiopian troops.
Fighting broke out as European Union envoy Louis Michel, goes back and forth between Somalia and Yemen in an attempt to mediate between the parties. Late yesterday evening Michel announced that the interim government and the Courts had agreed without any preliminary conditions to resume negotiations.
A statement from one Islamic Court leader, “We are at war with Ethiopia not the government”, increases fear of a regional Horn of Africa conflict. Last week the Mogadishu executive launched an ultimatum threatening Ethiopia with open war unless it left Somalia within the week (see Fides 12 December 2006).
Worsening security conditions force a growing number of Somalis to seek refugee in Ethiopia. Eyewitnesses say at least 150 cross the border every day, mainly into the Somali State in the Ethiopian Federation which borders on Somalia. At present in Ethiopia the United Nations High Commission for Refugees runs only one camp which shelters 16,000 Somali refugees. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/12/2006 righe 25 parole 289)
