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Africa
Somalis killed after convoy attack
Ethiopian troops accused of opening fire after suffering casualties in bomb attack.
Last Modified: 31 May 2007 17:11 GMT
Ethiopian troops are helping Somalia's transitional government in its fight against Muslim groups [AFP]

At least four civilians have been killed in a town in central Somalia after gunfire was sparked by a bomb attack on an Ethiopian army convoy, according to security sources.

 

"An Ethiopian truck was blown up ... The Ethiopian troops immediately opened fire indiscriminately with heavy machine-guns," said Osman Adan, a local resident.
 
Adan said seven civilians were caught by cross-fire, but Ali Dahir, a journalist, said he had been able to verify four civilian deaths.

Dahir said: "Two seriously injured soldiers were being removed from the truck. There was a lot of blood at the scene.

                      

"Nobody knows whether the Ethiopian soldiers died or not."

 

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"As long as the Ethiopian troops are on Somalian soil I don't think this war torn country can secure peace"

M. Sherif, Addis, Ethiopia

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Somalia's transitional government says Ethiopian soldiers are in the country to aid its operations against a campaign led by Muslim fighters, who were forced from Mogadishu in December after a short war.

 

A security source in Mogadishu said the Ethiopian truck was destroyed by an anti-tank mine set off by remote control.

 

The use of the remote device highlights the use of a new tactic by anti-government.

 

In a related development, local media said a Somali soldier was shot dead by unknown assailants late on Tuesday near Mogadishu's Bakara market.

 

The Muslim fighters have previously struck government buildings, convoys and Ugandan peacekeepers patrolling for the African Union (AU).

 

Ethiopia wants to pull its troops out of Somalia as soon as the AU force is up to strength, or has at least half its planned 8,000 troops deployed in.

 

Other African nations have resisted sending more soldiers to Somalia in the wake of attacks on AU peacekeepers.

Source:
Agencies
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