Sunday, 28 December 2008
Fighting between rival factions in central Somalia has left at least 10 people dead.
Witnesses say a local Islamist group Saturday regained control of the town of Guriel from al-Shabab militants.
The Somali government has been losing territory to Islamist insurgents, including al-Shabab, who seek to impose sharia (Islamic) law in the areas they control.
Meanwhile, a bomb blast has killed three Ethiopian soldiers in southern Somalia.
Witnesses say the bomb went off as the troops were passing a market in the town of Afgooye.
Ethiopian troops are in Somalia to help support the current government. The Ethiopians are scheduled to withdraw by the end of the month, despite rising concerns about what will happen when they leave.
Some officials say once Ethiopia pulls out, there is nothing to stop insurgent groups like al-Shabab from taking over the entire country.
The latest violence comes as Somalis prepare for the possibility that President Adullahi Yusuf may resign within days.
Fighting over the last two years involving Ethiopian-backed government forces and a variety of Islamist groups looking to impose Islamic law has killed thousands of Somalis and displaced at least a million others.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
