Somali Islamists take over border town, advance on another

Guled Mohamed, Reuters | August 10, 2006

Islamic courts militia patrol the enclosure of the presidential palace in southern Mogadishu. Islamic militia has seized control of a strategic township near the Ethiopian border from Somalia's transitional government, further expanding their territory.(AFP/File/Str)

The Islamists said they attacked a government-appointed regional administration in Baladwayne, forcing the local governor and provincial commissioner to flee towards Ethiopia.

``Our Islamic courts [fighters] in Baladwayne have taken over the full administration of the city," said a person close to a senior Islamist leader in Somalia's capital Mogadishu.

``They attacked the government-appointed administration and forced them out," he said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. Islamist fighters had occupied Baladwayne in June, but withdrew.

Islamist militia were also said to be advancing on Galkaayo, a town about 465 miles north of the capital Mogadishu.

``Fighting can start anytime in Galkaayo, our militias are heading there," said Ali Hirsi, a member of the coalition of Islamic courts that seized Mogadishu and a strategic swath of southern Somalia in June.

Galkaayo is on the border with semi-autonomous Puntland, home to President Abdullahi Yusuf of the interim government.

Hirsi said a warlord loyal to the interim administration, Abdi Awale Qaybdiid, arrived in Galkaayo earlier yesterday with dozens of ``technicals" -- pickup trucks mounted with machine guns and anti-aircraft guns.

Qaybdiid was among the last warlords to surrender his militias to the Islamists in a clan-brokered deal in July.

Hirsi said 33 Islamist technicals were en route, but another Islamist militiaman who only gave his name as Ahmed denied his movement had plans to seize Galkaayo.

``We [couldn't] care less about Abdi Qaybdiid," he said.

``We have our militias in Galkaayo and plan to open an Islamic court there. We are for peace and come here to improve security. We have already removed so many checkpoints."

Qaybdiid, a native of the Galkaayo area, is believed to be against the Islamic courts setting up there.

"Militias are on high alert and were patrolling the city last night. We are living in fear," said resident Leila Mohamed. "Most of the militias have been stationed outside the town to prevent any possible attack by the Islamic courts."

The Islamists oppose the interim government, based in the provincial town of Baidoa and threaten its limited authority.

The interim administration has Western backing but virtually no control over the Horn of Africa country of 10mn.

The Islamists have shown interest in controlling other parts of Somalia, but have denied accusations of planning to raid Baidoa, where Ethiopian troops have been deployed to protect the fragile government.

The deployment itself and Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi’s refusal to engage Islamists in talks has led to mass resignations of ministers, compelling President Ahmed to fire the whole cabinet.

The Islamists have refused to participate in Arab League-mediated peace talks in Khartoum until the Ethiopian troops pull out, apparently complicating efforts to restore a functional authority in this impoverished, war-torn African nation. – Agencies