afrol News, 30 June - Ethiopian troops clashed with Islamic insurgents in Galgadud region yesterday, with four civilians killed, while another over 20,000 people were forced to flee their homes.

Ethiopian troops who arrived in the town of Guri El Saturday night after withdrawing from Beledweyn, the provincial capital of Hiran Province, north of Mogadishu, were attacked by Islamic insurgents in the afternoon as they were taking their rounds in town.

The attack by insurgents led Ethiopian troops to respond with heavy artillery shelling, which caused death of four with more than ten people injured while there are still women and children reported missing.

A witness said Ethiopian army base was attacked with mortars and rockets, irking a response from the Ethiopian military that included an artillery barrage.

Mayor of Guri El Ali Sheikh Mohamud, said four civilians died during clashes, when the Ethiopian force first arrived in Guri El after leaving bases in Hiran region further south.

He stated that many families who fled the insurgency in Mogadishu fled again after fresh clashes erupted in Guri El between Ethiopian forces and insurgents loyal to al Shabaab.

Islamist spokesman Abdi Rahin Isse Addow claimed that Ethiopian troops suffered more causalities.

Ethiopian troops who have been withdrawing from Somalia as directed by the government and rebels ceasefire, saw insurgents take over central Somali region of Hiran following their withdrawal.

The attacks on Somali and Ethiopian troops by insurgent fighters became worse since February 2007 when Ethiopia tried to disarm Somalis. The unrest continued despite the signing of a peace deal between a faction of opposition coalition and Somali transitional government early this month.

Other factions of opposition in Eritrean and Al-shabaab Islamist group have boycotted the talks held in Djibouti last month, vowing to continue their attacks on Ethiopian and Somali government forces and officials until Ethiopian troops withdraw from Somalia.

Ethiopian troops backed Somalia late in 2006 to assist Somali government forces topple an Islamist administration, Union of Islamic Courts which had ruled the country for six months.

Yesterday's attack on Ethiopian troops has caused unrest in the country's capital, Mogadishu, where most Ethiopian forces in the country have been based since last year's invasion, which ended the Islamic rule.

Somalia has experienced almost constant civil conflict since the collapse of Mohamed Siad Barre's regime in January 1991. Around 15 comprehensive peace deals have been signed, without being able to bring the country back to stability.

Nearly 10,000 people have been killed since February last year.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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