AP: Militants Flee Gov't Forces in Somalia ~ ( Why not insurgents?...)

Las Vegas Sun ^ | January 01, 2007 at 11:35:9 PST | MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN and ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -

Fighters belonging to a militant Islamist movement fled into a rugged, forested corner of Somalia from rapidly advancing government forces Monday, and the prime minister offered amnesty if they surrendered.

Regional diplomats worked to arrange the speedy deployment of African peacekeepers to help the interim government establish its authority in the country, which has known only anarchy for 15 years.

As the last remaining stronghold of the Islamic group was overrun by government troops backed by Ethiopian tanks and MiG fighter jets, the net began closing on suspected al-Qaida militants believed to be sheltered by the hard-line group.

Neighboring Kenya vowed to seal its frontier to prevent any extremists, now wedged against the sea and their border, from escaping the 13-day military offensive.

Sea routes from southern Somalia were also being patrolled by the U.S. Navy, hunting for three al-Qaida suspects believed to be among the Islamic group and wanted for the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa.

"Kenya cannot be a haven for people who are not wanted by their lawful government," Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Matua said.

Thousands of Somalis have fled their homes in the wake of advancing Ethiopian and government forces, but most have returned to their homes once the fighting subsided. The U.N. refugee agency has sent supplies to the Kenyan border as a precaution, but so far there has been no increase in the number of Somalis seeking refuge in Kenya, said Christian Balslev-Olesen, country director for Kenya for UNICEF.

The military advance marked a stunning turnaround for Somalia's government, which just weeks ago could barely control one town - its base of Baidoa - while the Council of Islamic Courts controlled the capital and much of southern Somalia.

But with the intervention of Ethiopia, which has one of Africa's largest armies, the Islamic group has been forced from the capital of Mogadishu and other key towns in the last 10 days. Its casualties run into the thousands, Ethiopia said.

Yet it does not mark the end of the Islamists or their ultimate defeat. The group has promised to wage an Iraq-style guerrilla war if defeated, and a woman was killed Sunday in a mysterious blast in Mogadishu.

Diplomats want the peacekeeping force to replace the muscle of Ethiopia, a Christian country long despised in Muslim Somalia. Both countries have fought two wars, the last in 1977, and Somalia lays claim to territories in Ethiopia.

In a bid to cement its control, Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi ordered a nationwide disarmament beginning Tuesday, an immense task in a country awash with weapons after more than a decade of civil war.

"The warlord era in Somalia is now over," Gedi said at a news conference in the recently captured capital, giving a three-day deadline for handing over all weapons. Somali warlords, who have begun returning to Mogadishu after the Islamists' defeat, have not yet voiced agreement.

Many here believe the only chance for real stability in Somalia lies with international peacekeepers - not with the government.

"There is a power vacuum already," according to peace activist Ali Said Omar, speaking in gun-infested Mogadishu. "Everybody has taken his own weapons back. How can the government say it's in control?"

The Islamic forces in the coastal stronghold of Kismayo began to disintegrate after a night of artillery attacks at the front line and following a mutiny within their ranks, witnesses said. They fled to a base near the Kenyan border on a small peninsula called Ras Kamboni, where there is a pier for traditional oceangoing boats known as dhows.

Ethiopian MiG fighter jets flew low, searching for boats that might be carrying escaping Islamic fighters.

Just six months ago, the Islamic group defeated a U.S.-backed alliance of Somali warlords controlling Mogadishu and then swept through much of southern Somalia. With them came a semblance of order in this chaotic country - but also a strict and often severe interpretation of Islam, which raised memories of Afghanistan's Taliban.

Somalia's interim government and its Ethiopian allies have long accused Islamic militias of harboring al-Qaida, and the U.S. government has said the 1998 bombers have become leaders in the Islamic movement in Africa.

"If we capture them alive, we will hand them over to the United States," Gedi said.

Islamic movement leaders deny having any links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network.

But in a message posted on the Internet, deputy al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri called on Muslims in Somalia and elsewhere to continue fighting "infidels and crusaders."

Gedi also appealed for humanitarian aid for his country and repeated calls for an African Union peacekeeping force.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, in his New Year's message, called for an urgent summit of the east African regional body IGAD to discus the Somali crisis.

Uganda said it had a battalion of 1,000 troops ready to deploy in a few days. Nigeria has also promised troops, Somali government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said.

---

Associated Press writers Salad Duhul and Les Neuhaus in Mogadishu contributed to this report.

--

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[TADSLOS]

Those whacky militants again...

[NobleEagle2004]

Go Ethiopia!Home of the Arc of the Covenant!Christian Brothers with the Most Powerfull Army In Africa. Amazing How Quickly Problem Resolved!
Compared to Democratic(Clinton) Led Military(Mogidishu)BlackHawk Failure.
Squeeze em,and I love That "we will hand(AlQueda) them over to the US."

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

BBC Reports in:

Somalia targets Islamists' escape

************************************************************

Somalia targets Islamists' escape

Ethiopian-backed troops captured Mogadishu a few days ago

Somalia's transitional government has issued an urgent appeal to Kenya to seal their common border to prevent fleeing Islamist forces from crossing.

There has been no formal response, but a large convoy of armoured vehicles was seen heading towards the Somali border in the western Kenyan town of Garissa.

The appeal came after the Islamists were driven from their last stronghold, the southern port of Kismayo.

The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) militia abandoned the town overnight.

Local militias briefly took control, before a combined Somali-Ethiopian force entered the port city to what local correspondents say was a big welcome.

Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi has urged the African Union (AU) to send peacekeepers and offered an amnesty to Islamist fighters.

'Misled'

The Islamists had swept through Somalia last year, and their retreat from Kismayo is seen as a major reversal.

Somalia's sudden power shift Q&A: Somali conflict

The UIC had withdrawn to Kismayo on Thursday, after abandoning the capital Mogadishu.

Mr Ghedi offered an amnesty to Islamist fighters who handed over their weapons and gave them three days to comply, saying they had been "misled by international terrorists".

However he stressed that there would be no amnesty for leaders of the UIC.

The BBC's Karen Allen in Nairobi, Kenya, says this is far from the end of the story, as the Islamists have vowed to fight back.

The presence of Ethiopian troops on Somali soil could damage the government's attempts to win widespread support, our correspondent says.

The prime minister also called on the AU to help stabilise the country.

"We would like the military observers and peacekeepers to come in to help us as soon as possible," he told reporters.

Talks rejected

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has called for a summit of East African countries to discuss the situation.

An Islamic commander, Sheikh Yaqub Ishak, confirmed his forces had left Kismayo, but said they would not "stop fighting the Ethiopian invader".

Ethiopian aircraft and artillery are backing Somalia's government

The Islamists have rejected offers of talks with the government, saying Ethiopia must withdraw its forces first.

Ethiopian troops officially entered Somalia on 24 December, joining fighters loyal to Somalia's interim government, to repel an Islamist assault on the government stronghold of Baidoa.

Ethiopia accuses the UIC of harbouring al-Qaeda militants. This is denied by the militia.

The UIC assumed control of the capital in June, driving warlords out and rapidly extending its influence to much of central and southern Somalia.

Some analysts say the UIC's popularity stemmed from its ability to transcend the clan enmities that have bedevilled Somalia since the overthrow of former President Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

The UN estimates that about 30,000 people have been displaced during the fighting, and casualties have been high.

[Congressman Billybob]

These raghead "fighters" are a pathetic breed. They can rape, torture and murder -- and issue threatening videos. But when it comes to a real fight against real opponents, they run and hide. They are not men, they are beardless youths of no merit or consequence. (For those not familiar with Muslim insults, that callow youth thing is a biggie.)

I mean, think about it. These muzzies are running in terror from Ethiopian troops, for Pete's sake. When you get whomped militarily by Ethiopia, it's time to rethink your game plan.

Congressman Billybob

Latest article: "The Are-Yoiu-Kidding Award for Cong. Conyers"

[af_vet_1981]

and the prime minister offered amnesty if they surrendered.

It would be a mistake to close hunting season while there are still hunters ready to hunt and kill the predators.

[PGalt]

It would be a mistake to close hunting season while there are still hunters ready to hunt and kill the predators.

What!!!...and not allow the Somali Study Group's (SSG) UNaccountable, UNcontrollable bureaucrats to weigh in on war. /sarcasm

[proxy_user]

I was wondering about that.

Does Ethiopia really have jet fighters?

[spokeshave]

Yes....and a couple of Canberra bombers

[Congressman Billybob]

A jet fighter in Ethiopia is a biplane with propellers, but the pilot has the f*rts.

John / Billybob

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL!

[gridlock]

Islamic "fighters" flee in the face of determined opposition. They only attack the women and children. It is the chicken-shit Islamic way.

[McGavin999]

The group has promised to wage an Iraq-style guerrilla war if defeated, and a woman was killed Sunday in a mysterious blast in Mogadishu

No, this isn't an Iraq-style guerrilla war, it's a Palestinian guerrilla war and it is the fruit of allowing this to develop in the Palestinian/Israeli affairs. The world winked and said "Oh, it's only fair" and now the world suffers as the same tactics will be turned on them.

[blam]

Somali Islamic Stronghold Falls (Kismayo)

[reluctantwarrior]

I used a Psyop message in Afghanistan calling the Muzzies dogs and cowards ..... they got PO'd and stood and fought around Dey Chopan. We killed over 150 in 12 hours. Then the Generals got Po'd at me for using harsh words in my leaflets and broadcasts over loud speakers, PC will kill us all sooner than we think.

[tkathy]

No, this isn't an Iraq-style guerrilla war, it's a Palestinian guerrilla war and it is the fruit of allowing this to develop in the Palestinian/Israeli affairs.....

Absolutely. The world has winked at muslim genocides and atrocities and now it is spiralling out of control.

[NoLibZone]

AP: Militants Flee Gov't Forces in Somalia ~ ( Why not insurgents?...)

Because we employ PC in our tactics.

They know the Ethiopians don't have Cindy type citizens.

Resulting in victory and fewer casualties on all sides.

[Congressman Billybob]

I had heard about your work and its results. I knew why it worked. And I was deliberately making that reference. Thank you.

John / Billybob

[verum ago]

a jet fighter in Ethiopia is a MiG-27... they have an over $3.5 billion debt to Russia for arms...
that's probably an Islamist jet fighter you were thinking of...