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Pro-Government Troops in Somalia Seize Southern Town
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1582759:A6F02AD83191E1607AC0805A477A3A669574F7DCC14957C0 Residents say
troops greeted with cheers as they entered town, located 90 kilometers
north of capital, Mogadishu





Transitional Federal Government soldiers patrol in Burhakaba, Somalia,
26 Dec 2006Witnesses in Somalia say Ethiopian and Somali government
troops have seized the southern town of Jowhar from rival Islamist
forces.

Residents say the troops were greeted with cheers Wednesday as they
entered the town, located 90 kilometers north of the capital,
Mogadishu.  The Islamists had controlled the town since June.

Somali government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said Ethiopian and
government troops are now advancing on Balad, a town just 30
kilometers from Mogadishu.

A top Islamist official (Sheik Sharif Sheikh Ahmed) insisted to
reporters Tuesday that his fighters are making a tactical retreat.

Earlier Tuesday, pro-government forces took control of several towns
in central Somalia after Islamist fighters withdrew.

The fighting in Somalia broke out December 19th, after months of
rising tension as the Islamists took over much of the country's center
and south.

The Islamists declared a "holy war" on Ethiopia several months ago
after it sent troops across the border to protect the Somali interim
government.

On Tuesday, the United Nations' top envoy to Somalia urged the
Security Council to call for an immediate ceasefire in the country.

But the Council failed to reach an agreement on the matter after Qatar
insisted that any statement call for the immediate withdrawal of
Ethiopian forces and all foreign forces from Somalia.

The U.N. Security Council is to hold more talks on the situation in
Somalia today.

Somalia has not had an effective central government since 1991, when
warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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