Government troops move on Mogadishu
Ethiopian troops supporting the forces of Somalia's transitional government are advancing towards the capital, Mogadishu, as the United Nations Security Council calls an emergency meeting on the conflict.
Full Article : aljazeera.net
The Horn of Africa teeters on the cusp of all-out war
Neighbours arethreatening to turn Somalia into a battleground for their old scores
"Analysts agreed it would not be an easy fight against Ethiopia's powerful army, and the UIC's [The Union of Islamic Courts] reported allies – Eritrea and Yemen – may be tempted to join the southern militia. Already, they have covertly supplied arms and training to the UIC, according to a UN report obtained by Associated Press.
Eritrea and the predominantly Christian Ethiopia fought a three-decade war of independence and since Eritrea became a country in 1993, the two have skirmished regularly across their border.
Many have warned that Somalia – which hasn't had a centralized government during the 15 years since President Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991 – could become the battleground for neighbours looking to settle old scores."
Full Article : thestar.com
Analysis: U.S. may feed conflict in Somalia, experts say
America is seen as backing Ethiopian intervention, leading to calls for 'jihad.'
NAIROBI, Kenya -- As fighting has intensified between Somali Islamists and an Ethiopian intervention force, Western diplomats and experts warned that U.S. policy in the Horn of Africa -- intended to curb Islamic radicalism -- may not only be fueling this newest conflict, but also may be making it easier for al-Qaida to gain a foothold in the strategic region.
Full Article : sacbee.com
Somalia: All-Out War "Catastrophic" for Southern Region - Famine Watchdog
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has warned of potentially "catastrophic" effects of all-out war in Somalia. In an emergency alert issued on Friday as the conflict began to escalate, the analysis service highlighted the food security threat to southern Somalia, where 1.1 million people are already facing a humanitarian crisis while half a million are seriously affected by floods.
Full Article : allafrica.com
Analysis: Somalia's powerbrokers
Somalia has been without a recognised central government since the collapse of Mohamed Siad Barre's regime in January 1991.
Recent attempts to establish a new authority, based in the capital Mogadishu, have had mixed results. And much power still lies with armed factions and warlords who are notorious for switching allegiance.
Full Article : news.bbc.co.uk
Ethiopia-Eritrea Proxy War in Somalia Risks Broader Regional Conflict, Warns New Council Report
December 14, 2006
Council on Foreign Relations
Conflict in the Horn of Africa is escalating rapidly as power struggles within Somalia are exacerbated by military support that both Ethiopia and Eritrea give to the opposing parties there. Ethiopia backs the weak interim government; Eritrea sponsors the Islamic militants fighting to overthrow it. Because the United States has accused Somalia of harboring al-Qaeda suspects, "the Ethiopian-Eritrean proxy conflict increases the opportunities for terrorist infiltration of the Horn and East Africa and for ignition of a larger regional conflict," warns a new Council Special Report.
Full Article : cfr.org
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