Islamists 'ready for talks'

2006-07-24 13:07

Mogadishu - The Islamic militants in control of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, and much of the country's south said on Monday that they were ready for talks with the country's transitional government.

A spokesperson for the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) said the talks with the legally-instituted Transitional Federal Government (TFG) were scheduled to begin on August 02 in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

Witnesses said troops from Ethiopia, which supported the TFG, had pushed further into Somalia.

Residents said that an Ethiopian helicopter and a combat plane landed in Wajid, halfway between Baidoa, the temporary seat of the TFG and 240km from Mogadishu, and the Ethiopian border.

According to witnesses, about 5 000 Ethiopian troops were now in Somalia. However, the Ethiopian government had repeatedly denied that its troops were in Somalia.

During the 1990s, Ethiopia on several occasions sent troops into its neighbour to prevent the establishment of an Islamic government there.

The interim government, which was finally formed in 2004 after tough negotiations and under international pressure, was too weak to extend its control over the entire country.

Sapa-dpa

- SAPA