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sent by Riaz K Tayob (activ-l) - Dec 28, 2006

Al Jazeera English - Dec 28, 2006
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/

Somali government to retake capital

Islamic courts fighters have left Mogadishu

A Somali Islamic courts leader has said that all the group's forces have
withdrawn from the capital, Mogadishu, while government forces have
pledged to gain control of the city within hours.

A joint force of Ethiopian and Somali government troops have advanced to
positions 30km north and northeast of Mogadishu.

"We have withdrawn all the leaders and members who worked in the
capital," Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, leader of the Islamic Courts Union in
Somalia, told Al Jazeera television by telephone.

He said the Somali Islamic courts remain united and desribed the
withdrawal as a change in tactics.

Disorder

"The capital has witnessed 19 years of fighting," he said. "The
Ethiopians want to bombard Mogadishu, so we withdrew in order not to
give them this opportunity.

"Mogadishu is in a state of disorder and gangs, who are backed by
Ethiopia and Baidoa groups, have started stealing and robbing.

"There are no Islamic courts forces [there]. It is the Somali people who
are resisting."

Ahmed said that the withdrawal would avoid more bloodshed in the capital.

"We did not leave the capital to chaos. We left it to avert heavy
bombing because Ethiopian forces are practicing genocide against the
Somali people," he said.

Residents living south of Mogadishu said that they have seen convoys of
Islamic courts fighters driving south.

Ahmed said: "God willing, we will drive out these forces that entered
Somalia to destroy what was achieved in the past few months. We have a
plan to drive these forces out."

Government control

"Within two to three hours we will capture the whole city"

Somali government spokesman

Witnesses confirmed reports that Somali troops are heading towards
Mogadishu, with one claiming that more than 70 Ethiopian tanks have
headed to the capital.

The majority of gunfire has taken place north of the capital.

One witness in Mogadishu said machine-gun fire was heard in the Sinaai
neighbourhood north of the capital, while residents said government
troops were approaching the city.

A government spokesman said "Islamic courts leaders have dispersed into
thin air", and that they had fled to the southern port of Kismayu.

"Our forces already effectively control Mogadishu because we have taken
over the two control points on the main roads outside the city," he said.

"Within two to three hours we will capture the whole city".

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

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