Somali Islamists say Ethiopian tanks crushed

Mohamed Abdi Farah

Sheik Mohamud

(SomaliNet) Somalia’s powerful Islamic Courts Union has claimed that its fighters have burnt four tanks from the Ethiopian forces on Sunday in heavy clashes today at Daynunay front near Baidoa city, the seat of the Transitional Federal Government.

In urgent news conference held in Somalia capital Mogadishu, Sheik Mohamud Ibrahim Suley, the ICU spokesman for the war affairs said they could afford to resist against the air and ground attacks by the Ethiopian troops.

He accused the Ethiopian troops of opening new fronts in central regions of Somalia using excessive power like war planes which air raids on civilian targets around Beledwein city of Hiran region.

Sheik Suley said the Ethiopian invaders were defeated in the battle fields. In Bandiredley and Saddeh-Higlo environs of Mudug region he said the Islamists succeeded to consolidate their positions and subjected huge casualties on the Ethiopians.

He said when the Ethiopian troops were defeated on the ground they have began using war planes against the Islamic Courts.

“Since the fighting seems to intensify, all the Islamist reserve troops are being informed to join the Jihad on Ethiopia and I am telling all the Somali people not to worry about the current war but trust their almighty Allah,” said Suley.

Meanwhile, the Ethiopian government has for the first time confirmed the presence of its troops in Somalia and at war with what it called ‘the Islamist terrorists in horn of African country (Somalia).

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