Jabhada Islaamiga Soomaaliyeed oo caawa la wareegtay Saldhiga Degmada Hodan, kana qaniimeystay saanado hub ah. Beerdhiga 31.01.2008 23:16 Abaarihii 11:45 galabnimo ee maanta illaa 08:00 fiidnimo ee Caawa ayay xoogaga mujaahidiinta Jabhada Islaamiga Soomaaliyeed ay weerar qorshaysan ku qaadeen Saldhiga Degmada Hodan ee magaalada Muqdisho oo ay deganyihiin qeybo ka mid ah Ciidamada DFKMG ah ee la shaqeysa Gumeysiga Itoobiya. Shabakadda Beerdhiga oo xiriir la sameysay sarkaal ka mid ah Jabhadaasi ayaa u xaqiijiyay in cutubyo ka mid ah Mujaahidiintooda ay weerar ku qaadeen saldhigaas isla markaana ay gabi ahaantiiba la wareegeen, iyada oo uu xusay in ay ka soo qaniimeysteen saanad hub ah oo ay ku jiraan qoryaha sida daran dooriga ah u dhaca ee PKM-yada iyo Ak47-no. Mar aan wax ka weydiinay sarkaalkaasi khasaaraha labadooda dhinaca kala gaaray ayaa waxa uu sheegay in uusan si cad u sheegi Karin tirada rasmiga ah ee ka dileen Ciidamada DFKMG ah balse uu xusay in ay gaarsiiyeen khasaarooyin naf iyo maalba leh, iyaga dhinacoodana aysan jirin wax waxye ah oo ka soo gaaray dagaalkaasi. Xubinkan ayaa sidoo kale intaasi ku daray in salaadii makhrib ka dib ay mar labaad ku qaadeen saldhiga dagaal rogaal celis ah oo ay la galeen ciidamo gurmad ah oo u yimid ciidamadii hore isla markaana ay la galeen dagaal kulul oo in mudo ah socday kaas oo ay markii dambe kaga itaal roonaadeen. Mid ka mid ah dadka deegaanka oo aan sidaa uga fogayn agagaarka Saldhiga Hodan oo Beerdhiga la soo xiriiray ayaa sheegay in ay mujaahidiintu saldhiga ku sugnaayeen in mudo ah iyada oo ay xiligaasna socotay rasaas teel teel ah, balse ugu dambeyntii ay ka baxeen ka dib markii ay ka dhameysteen qorshahoodii Dagaalka “waxaan Dagaalka ugu qaadnay Saldhiga waxa ay tahay sidii aan ciidamadaasi caadaystay dhibaataynta Shacabka ee isugu jira dilka, dhaca iyo kufsiga uga dul-qaadi lahayn” ayuu yiri sarkaalkaasi oo ay Beerdhiga waydiisay sababta ay dagaalka ugu qaadeen saldhiga Degmada Hodan. Warar hoose oo ay Beerdhiga heshay ayaa sheegaya in dagaalkaasi lagu qab-qabtay maxaabiis aan tiradooda si rasmi ah loo sheegi Karin, mar aan wax ka weydiinayna JIS ee iyadu Weerarkaasi ku qaaday saldhiga ayaa ka gaabsatay in ay wax faah faahin ah ka bixiso. Si kastaba ha ahaatee weerarkan qorshaysan ayaa isagu ku soo beegmaya xili ay saaka waabarigii hore ay JIS iska hor imaad hubaysan kula gashay Ciidamada DFKMG ah agagaarka xararyaale halkaasi oo ay ku dileen labo askari oo ilaalo ka ahaa gaari raashin u waday Ciidamada jidka wadnaha degan ee magaalada Muqdisho. Weerarada iyo qaraxyada isdaba jooga ah ayaa iyagu u muuqda kuwa wali halkoodii ka sii socda xili ay Ciidamada Gumeysiga Itoobiya iyo huwantooda ay ka wadaan magaalada Muqdisho dhaq-dhaqaaqyo ciidan oo u muuqda kuwa la xiriira istiraatiijida dagaal oo hor leh. Waxaan uga cudur daaranaynaa akhristayaasheena sharafta badan dib u dhaca warkan aan kala dib dhacnay taas oo ahayd cilad dhinaca farsamada ah awgeed. www.Beerdhiga.com

Dagaal xoogan oo ka socda Degaanka Diinsoor iyo nawaaxigiisa ee Gobolka Baay Beerdhiga 01.02.2008 14:29 Sida ay xaqiijiyeen qaar ka mid ah dadka ku dhaqan Dagmada Diinsoor ee Gobolka Baay oo uu khadka teloofoonka kula xirriiray wariyaheena Gobolka Baay ayaa u xaqiijiayay in dagaal la isku adeegsanayo hubka noocyadiisa kala duwan uu ka soconayo duleedka Dagmada Diinsoor Dagaalka ayaa ah mid ka fool-ka fool ah oo u dhaxeeya DFKMG ah ee la shaqeysa Gumeysiga Itoobiya oo ka soo kicitimay Degmada Diinsoor iyo Xoogaga Mujaahidiinta Soomaaliyeed oo iyagu mudooyinkii u danbeeyeey la hadal hayey in ay ku sugnaayeen deegaanadaasi Dagaalkan ayaa la sheegayaa in uu hadda xoogiisu ka socdo Tuulada Misir oo la sheegay in ay u soo gudbeen Ciidamada DFKMG ah ee la shaqeysa Gumeysiga Itoobiya. Lama oga khasaaraha ka dhashay dagaalkaan iyada oo lagu soo waramayo in Dagaalku uu habeenimadii xalay ka bilowday Deegaanka Raamacadeey oo ka tirsan Magaalada Baydhabo ee xarunta Gobolka Baay waxaana xiligaan lagu soo waramayaa inuu ku fiday deegaano badan oo ka tirsan Dagmada Diinsoor ee Gobolka Baay. Dadka Dagmada Diinsoorna waxay xaqiijinayaan in Rasaas culus laga maqlayo gudaha Dagmada Diinsoor Ma jiraan wax war ah oo ka soo baxay dhinacyada dagaalamaya iyada oo masuuliyiinta Gobolka Baay iyo kuwa Dagmada Diinsoor ay ka gaabsadeen in ay ka hadlaan dagaalkaasi haseyeeshee dadka Dagmada Diinsoor ayaa xaqiijinaya in dagaalku uu xiligaan socdo Dhaawacyo kala duwan ayaa la gaarsiiyey Isbitaalka Dagmada Diinsoor oo wax yeelo ka soo gaartay dagaalkaasi. Ma’ahan markii ugu horaysay oo DFKMG ah iyo Xoogaga Mujaahidiinta Soomaaliyeed ay ku dagaalamaan qaybo kamid ah Gobolka Baay Dagaalkan ayaa ku soo beegmaya iyada oo ay Ciidamada Gumeysiga Itoobiya iyo huwantooda ka wadaan magaalada Muqdisho iyo Gobolka Hiiraan dhaq dhaqaaqyo ciidan oo la xiriira istiraatiijiyad cusub oo la sheegay in ay tahay mid dagaal. Wixii warar ah ee ka soo baxa dagaalkaasi wali socda dib ayaan idinkaga soo gudbinaynaa insha allaah. www.Beerdhiga.com

Originally posted by GJ_Goate: quote:Originally posted by xiinfaniin: ^^ ^^That's a start though. Adeer Yey and his warlord goverment are part of the conflict. They have followers, international and regional support! If one is serious in resolving somali conflict through reconciliation, one must be practical in the way he or she formulates his/her argument. You know it takes two to tango. In other words, when you reconcile/negotiate with someone they must be willing to do the same with you. I think this is the part you and Baashi haven't thought long about. You assume that everybody wants to negotiate, reconcile and liquidate some of their held power. For example, with regards to Yeey and his supporters, they are intent on using their international support and Ethiopian backing to attempt to destroy and humilate their opponents. Five years ago, one his hardcore supporters told one of my relatives that they would CIA and others to subdue Wadaads and destroy their powers as their place was only in the Masjid. These are type of people you are dealing with. How can you reconcile with a person who doesn't want to? Ina Yeey has always made his choice the gun. This is the same man that stood in the false parliament and declared that he would wage war against all religous men, take their wealth and remove them from very insitution in Somalia. Of course his supporters will blindly follow what he screams. The condition of this man is that anyone who wants to negotiate with him must recognize him, lay down their weapons and approach him smaller man than him. Who's going to meet those demands. There are also the other warlords who compromise the anti terror or fighting Islam alliance, I tell you those men only understand the gun and the likes of those will only be subdued throught that process. What is there to compromise with them? AH, you can sell 50 wadaads only this year? You can only set up 5000 chechpoints or rape less women? Those men are xawayaan saxiib and they will be treated and subdued like the xawayaan they are, if they don't repent and stop the harm they are doing. Several of them including the warlord/false mayor of Muqdisho wants to talk with his rivals after they inflicted many losses on his men. Thus reconciliation and negotiation has to be sincere. It will be useless if the same old warlords are returned to power and are allowed to do as they please. Thousands of Somalis can't be wasted over 2 years fighting against warlords and Ethiopia only for the same people to be returned to power under the slogan of reconcialition. Somalis have had dozens of peace meetings and reconcialition with no avail. That is because the same bunch of criminals have been appeased each time under the guise of them representing their clans.Most people aren't against reconciliation as such, but they are against appeasing Ethiopians and warlords through the backdoor via reconcialition slogans. This is perhaps what our good friend Baashi reads as "advocating for more violence" and " killing maato". Although one could say Nur Cade is perhaps making more of a sincere effort to negotiate, unlike the other men who compromise the T.F.G...... Spot on saxib. Allah yacizak bro.

Saxib, waxaa iga jaahil bixisaa, Galmudug magaalo madaxdeeda Galkacyo miyaa? The article would give that impression.

^xiin You chose willful gullibility for whatever reason saxib, or it appears that way. You were at one point for slash and cut method but changed over time concurrent with events on the ground, which is fine. People change positions and entertain new ideas hoping for change and better results, but reverting back to the same old failed policies(sitting with the same tfg) is not being hopeful. There are times I feel guilty about my stance considering what people in Muqdisho are going through, at the same time, my feelings of guilt are tapered by the fact that their status won't change as long as the powers that be are around, it is a lose lose situation for them, so they might as well fight it out till relief comes to them. Their struggle produced some changes already although not much. Ethiopia failed to secure her status as unquestionable victor, their pawns begging for the peace they buried, and with the right pressure applied, good things can come about. Sometimes the solution is a war despite the odds. Edited.

Xiin, People impeach themselves on these boards with their contributions. I don't twist their arms to make them represent themselves in a certain way. And quite frankly, no one is holier than anybody else on these boards, we are all subject to scrutiny and judgement. Perhaps we should privately advise people we care about on the best course they should take instead of stamping their wrong ideas for approval, and then blame others who oppose their views. Misunderstandings do occur and sometimes people get labelled unjustly, nonetheless, I didn't say anything about anyone that is not based on their stance. Anyone who is regular here has a record and people can quote them by some unearthing of the board. My suggestion would be to categorize people into "unassailables" and give them exclusive section and "averages open for criticism", from there on, I can steer clear of the "unassailable" members and keep responding to the "averages". As for what my position would be if the three mentioned warlords are removed, I would support negotiations with whoever remains provided there is an immidiate Xabashi troop withdrawal from our soil. The key is the Xabashi departure, it doesn't matter how they came into our country and who brought them, they need to leave for Somalia to stabilize. With their presence and continous support for a party in the protection of their own interests, nothing gets solved in Somalia. It may not be feasible for the weak somalis to eject Ethiopian troops by force, but I support their weak attempts and won't spend time criticizing them for their efforts. I am not in the least bit angry but passionate about issues. I am cool with your judgement from your premise that I write in the throes of anger and hence produce irrational thoughts. I am rational enough to know for a fact that the TFG members and their supporters view Ethiopian troop presence as serving their interests, so reconciliation with their opposites who view Ethiopian toops as a threat is not possible. Removing the source of devision is the first priority. You need efforts made to accomodate people to sit together. How we get there can be negotiated in good faith starting with the elimination of A/Y and his buddies holding Somalis and their peace Hostage.

^ Well, you keep harping on about men who benefitted from somali violence and hold properties belonging to other somalis. You fail to mention The men and their militia are the same ones you want to buy time and opportunity so they can keep holding on to their ill-gotten gains, they are part and parcel of the people you skillfully defend on a daily basis, and their organization is called TFG led by A/Y for whom you were yahooing for his victory on SOL. Let us try honesty for a change. Anarchy was brought by the TFG to a recovering country and communities. Besides, we own four homes in Xamar as a family, we occupy non with my parents and my uncle's family kicked out of their homes in a broad day light. The occupiers were our neighbours, we know them, we knew them for years. With that said, We are happy to pay rent and live in peace in another section of the town, at the same time, we are not willing to live in indignity and claim our property matters before Somalia's freedom and sovereingity. First thing first, Somalia's freedom, Honest leadership, then justice, our homes can wait, they are there, we will get them back when the time is right. It doesn't matter to us what town and what clan have a pact with the Ethiopians. A/Y and his warlords have proven once more to be the least qualified men to bring peace, they in fact have damaged our psyche beyond repair and sold us in a wholesale fashion, both country and people, the sooner they depart, the better for all of us. There is no single positive step these men took for which they will be remembered. They will not be missed. Excusing their stay and survival is nothing more than wanton clanism and hypocrisy. Another fact which never gets mentioned is that Muqdisho and its residents moved towards clan reconcialiation on their own before the ICU even came into the scene. It wasn't on grand scale but a hopeful sign and a step in teh right direction. The town experienced an influx of people coming back from across somali regions and clans. Some of Siyad Barre's clansmen got back their property back through clan negotiations. I also spoke with my ex-neighbour who is of Cade Muse's clan when he moved back to Muqdisho before the courts. He and his family chose Muqdisho over Bosaso for convinience. He opened business but had to leave Muqdisho with the Arrival of the TFG. Somalis have every potential to agree on peace and reconcile. They needed and still need the removal of Warlords who made their career standing between Somali clans. The ICU demonstrated how peace can be achieved, remove and exile the warlords, the same approach is necessary now more than ever, remove A/Y and his TFG filth from our faces, an absolute war on Ethiopain troops as well, short of that is living in an endless state of misery.

^ I watched the debate and Omar Jamal sounded every A/Y supporting crook we hear speak on radio interviews and read their trash on forums. The same emotional rants of "My clan was once displaced, our women were once raped, and now we are cool with the rape of other somali women, and the displacement of the masses". Other justifications he gave for the massacres and displacement was because the warlord was attacked in Villa somalia so he had no option but to respond. LOL, Omar Jamal even forgot that he was on record calling Abdiqassim's government illegitimate in the past but tried to present himself to the audience as a supporter of that TNG.

All these power sharing talk, negotiations, and sitting with the same crooks who are responsible for the mess, and who rejected peace in all their bloody career are honestly disgusting, and the same forumers who are now pushing for negotiations are the the same ones -with the exception of few - who were cheering for the ethiopians or declared to be in a neutral position to mask their obvious bias. Warkooda qiimo ma lahan. Bottomline, No new lease for A/Y, Maxamed Dheere and Qeybdiid, The opposition should limp through this year inshallah and prepare a final assault on these warlords and on their organization. People who call for negotiations with the TFG are either dishonest to the core knowing the fact that peace is impossible with no honest partner, or they are in deep despair to the point of losing their mental well being, in which case, their views are meaningless.

Somalia economy stronger than others in Africa, UN-backed meeting says. Tuesday, January 29, 2008 29 January 2008 – Despite 17 years of crisis in Somalia, the economy there is stronger than that of many countries in Africa in terms of gross domestic product and imports and exports, participants at a United Nations-backed meeting held in Dubai said today. In a final declaration adopted at the end of the meeting organized by the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), business people from Africa and the Middle East, personalities from Europe and the United States and members of the Somali business community acknowledged economic stagnation in the country, which has not had a functioning government since the fall of Siad Barre's regime in 1991 and where fighting has intensified in recent months. But they said Somalia's economy could be boosted through livestock and livestock products, agriculture, money transfer, telecommunications, infrastructure, oil and gas, mining, transport and even tourism, according to a news release from UNPOS. The non-Somali participants “expressed their readiness to consider ways and means to encourage the Somalis to follow a 'critical path' that will lead to the stability necessary for political, economic and social development,” the Office said. The meeting requested UNPOS to impress upon the parties in Somalia to put the interests of the country before other interests, and work towards the return of peace and security. Source: UN News, Jan 29, 2008 www.hiiraan.com

Masjidka Sh.Cali Suufi ee M/Muqdisho oo mudo 3 bilood ka dib saaka dib loo furay. Beerdhiga 30.01.2008 10:08 Mudo laga joogo 3 bilood ayaa maanta markii ugu horeysay uu dib u furmay Masjidka Sheekh Cali Suufi ee Degmada Hodan oo ay horey u xireen ciidamada DFKMG ah ee la shaqeysa gumeysiga Itoobiya. Wariye ka tirsan shabakadda Beerdhiga oo xiligan masjidka ku sugan ayaa sheegay in dadweyne badan ay hadda dhaqitaan ku wadaan guud ahaan masjida gaar ahaan goobo ay ugu yimaadeen saxarooyin siiba barxada hore ee masjida ee xigta dhinac laamiga. Masjidkan oo aan waligii ku xirmin dhamaan isbadaladii ka dhacay Soomaaliya ayaa tan iyo intii ay soo galeen ciidamada gumeysiga Itoobiya waxa ay uu ka mid noqday masaajida ku xirmay amarkooda sida uu noo sheegay mid ka mid ah howl-wadeenada masjidkaasi oo ka gaabsaday in la sheego magaciisa. Wariyaheena ayaa intaa ku daray in goobaha ganacsiga ee aagaasi ku yaala ay yihiin kuwa wada bur bursan isla markaana ay hadda ku sugan yihiin dadweyne ka qeyb qaadanaya dib u hagaajinteeda. Jidka wadna ee ka yimaada dhinaca KM4 ee taga dhinac siinaay ayaa isagu ah mid shaqeynaya isla markaana ay isticmaalayaan gaadiidka BL-ka iyo dad weyne raxan raxan u socda. Masaajida iyo dhamaan goobaha u adeega Bulshada ayaa iyagu noqday laga soo bilaabo xiligii ay soo galeen ciidamada gumeysiga itoobiya kuwa aan shaqeyn ama ay yaraadeen howlshoodii. www.Beerdhiga.com

^ I have faith in all somalis and that they can achieve success over-night if they choose country over clan. They need the right leadership to guide them and show them the way. From south to north, from east to west, wherever a somali lived, they all congratulated a decent change when they saw one in Muqdisho back in 2006. The same will happen and somalis will again give their support and blessing if they see men they can work with. The key is the right leadership. A change is over due and if this withdrawal turns out to be real, it is a must. We need a government we can support who won't kill us simply because we are not interested to become a sixth column for Ethiopia.

^ After Ethiopian departure, it is between somalis. They have matured and can bring resolution to their problems. It won't be without pumps on the road, but worth. There is nothing like freedom and good somalis are hell-bent on retaining it.

I am holding on to my celebration, this is too good to be true. Such news will engulf the rest of southerners who were sitting on the sidelines and many may join to fight the Ethiopian troops wherever they are. It was worth the sacrifice, all the bloodshed and the misery will be forgotten for the freedom gained, people will focus on supporting honest leadership if there is one after the Ethiopian withdrawal. I want the TFG finished if the Xabashis quit or at least hang its leaders. No forgiveness for these savages. But that is my opinion even though I will not protest if somalis settle for less than that due justice and simply let the ignoble stooges leave the country.

Miskiin is entitled to his opinion. I give him credit for opposing everybody when they step out of bounds. I was put to task myelf once before by Miskiin and felt irritated, called him names and apologized to him afterwards. Beyzaani waaye duqa halaga wareegsado. He is no qabiiliiste. He is open to criticism as well and I noticed often people express their disagreements with him. What else do people want?

@summary Haneefa, Maxaa u dhahday xiin ash ma'ahan maal mahaan?

It is not only Puntlanders(the clan oriented sections among them) who are careless about Muqdisho resident's plight. There are plenty other somalis from other clans - including some with blood relations to Muqdisho residents- who are indifferent for their own sub-clanish reasons. Whether one experienced life altering personal tragedies, or whether someone views the Xabashis to be helping their clan score a victory against a foe, somalis generally make their stance based on their clan associations. Both victim and nonvictim seem to take the same stance. It is not always about pesonal tragedies and grievances which determine one's position on the current issues. Some in Muqdisho celebrated the Arrival of Ethiopians while others picked up guns against them. That explains clearly the devisions among somalis.

Thanks Geeljire. Very informative lecture. Had no idea Soomaalida inay si khaldan u ilbaxeen back home. Qabiilka Na waalayna runtuu ka sheegay, Soomaalida iyaga dhexdoodaa xaniinyo isu leh halka Shisheeyaha kalena heer ay qaraabeestaan ay gaareen. That just put the nail on their coffin. I take from the lecture such wisdom that somalis are the same, dad wada qaldan in loo kala eexdo maba haboona honestly. Wa dameer iyo labadiisa dhegood.

^ If doom comes to Puntlanders, it is not coming from other somalis. It might come to them in the form of power struggle with Cadde holding on to the seat and his loot while others decide to forcefully eject him from seat. There will not be a clan war between puntlanders and others based on clan animosity. That chapter is closed long ago. Come 2009 and the TFG is history. The final nail on its coffin is that expiration date. Warlords were never popular and their lease of life given to them by the US and Ethiopia is coming to an end. The recruits from Mudug and Puntland in Muqdisho whose main profession is to loot markets and the muqdisho poor will lay down their weapons and leave Muqdisho for their own safety. As for the Xabashi troops, attacks on them are becoming more lethal and occurring on a daily basis whenever and wherever possible. We have a year to endure violence and misery, after that a change comes inshallah.

Duke, Somalilanders will join when you choose country over your clan and a decent man over your warlord. Work towards change and start with yourself, others will follow suit saxib

Mujaahidiinta Al-Shabaab oo saaka la wareegay Garoonka Bali Doogle kana qaniimaystay hub fara badan Beerdhiga 25.01.2008 08:29 Mujaahidiinta Al-Shabaab ayaa saaka aroortii hore gabi ahaanba la wareegay garoonka ciidanka cirka ee Bali Doogle ee Gobolka Shabeelada Hoose ka dib Dagaal qorshaysan oo ay mujaahidiintaasi ku qaadeen sida uu xaqiijiyay afahayeenkooda sheekh mukhtaar rooboow “Abuu Mansuur”. Dagaalkan ayay mujaahidiinta al-shabaab kula wareegeen garoonkaasi oo ay sheegeen in uu saldhig u ahaa 1500 oo askari isla markaana ay gacanta ay ku dhigeen oo ay qaniimaysteen 100 qori iyo rasaastoodii iyo saanad milatari oo kale. Mujaahidiinta ayaa sidoo sheegay in ay halkaas kaga gubeen ciidamadaasi labo ka mid ah gawaarida dagaalka iyada oo ay sidoo kalana gacanta ku dhigeen qaar ka mid ah ciidamadii halkaasi ku jiray oo qaarkood ku cararay masaajidka garoonka kuwaas oo ay mujaahidiinta sii daayeen ka dib markii ay ku waaniyeen in aysan la shaqeyn gumeysiga itoobiya kana qeyb qaadan xasuuqa shacabkooda soomaaliyeed. Sidoo kale Dagaalkan ay kula wareegeen mujaahidiinta al-shabaab garoonkaasi ka dib ayaa waxa ay baaritaano ka sameyeen garoonka iyaga oo halkaas ka helay xafiis la sheegay in uu ahaa xafiiska waxa loogu yeeray “argagixiso la dagaalanka” oo ay soomaalidu u taqaano “ashahaado la dirirka”. Garoonkan ayaa tan iyo intii ay bur-burtay xukuumadii milatari ayaa waxa uu gacanta u galay kooxo ka amar qaadata maraykanka taas oo keentay in culumo fara badan oo soomaaliyeed halkaasi laga dhoofiyo isla markaana ay ka soo degaan sirdoonka maraykanka ee CIA-da iyada oo iminkana uu saldhig u yahay ciidamada loo soo tabo-baro la dagaalanka culumaa u diinta soomaaliyeed iyo wax-garadkooda. Mujaahidiinta al-shabaab ayaa iyagu maalin waliba si joogta ah u wada dagaalada ay sida tooska uga soo hor jeedaan ciidamada gumeysiga itoobiya iyo kuwa la shaqeeya ee xooga iyo sharci darada ku jooga gudaha dalka Soomaaliya. www.Beerdhiga.com

Garowe Online (Garowe) 24 January 2008 Posted to the web 24 January 2008 Beletwein An unknown number of heavily armed insurgents attacked an Ethiopian army garrison in central Somalia on Thursday, in what locals describe as the first large-scale attack on the Ethiopian contingent in the region. The fighting erupted in the central Hiran region, in a village approximately 20KM west of the provincial capital Beletwein, witnesses reported. Somalia's guerrillas want Ethiopian troops out Ethiopian troops and allied Somali security forces based at Kala-Beyr village came under heavy fire early in the morning. The fighting lasted for more than three hours, with our Beletwein correspondent reporting that the sounds of explosions could be heard inside the town. There are no confirmed reports on casualties, but local sources said the fighting was intense and there were casualties on both sides. "The fighting was fierce and I saw dead people, but I cannot say how many for sure," said one witness who did not wish to be named. The witness said local villagers, including nomadic families, began fleeing the area for fear for more attacks. Three civilians were wounded in a location "far from the fighting," said another witness. Fighters on both sides used heavy weaponry during combat, including tanks, mortar shells and rocket-propelled grenades. Sources said Ethiopian troops later bombarded a mountainous area, where the insurgents are believed to have fled. Hiran Governor Yusuf Daboged confirmed to Garowe Online that the fighting did take place today, adding that the "attackers were overwhelmed and chased away." Locals said the fighters are "allied to the Islamic Courts," an Islamist movement that ruled southern and central Somalia for the second half of 2006. Islamist guerrillas are responsible for daily attacks on Somali and Ethiopian government troops in the national capital Mogadishu, but today's heavy battle in Hiran is an indication of the war's gradual expansion to other regions. The African Union recently warned in a report that Mogadishu's guerrilla war was slowly "spreading" to other Somali regions. http://allafrica.com/stories/200801241140.html

Baashi, the way I see it, damned if you do, damned if you don't. It is depressing.

The ICU brought peace to warring clans without foreign help. Their success was due to their credibility with the people. It is not difficult to convince somalis the importance of peace and for them to lay down the weapons if they are dealing with men whom they can trust with their lives. Question is: A- Who has credibility with somalis for them to come to the darin and discuss peace, justice and reconciliation? All foreigners should stay out of somalia and somali issues. Their role should be confined to humantarian work only. Honest somali person will not require the presence of a foreigner to sit with another somali to reconcile and make peace.

'I told Gazans to come and eat' By AP AND JPOST.COM STAFF Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians crossed into Egypt from Gaza on Wednesday after gunmen destroyed about two-thirds of the Gaza-Egypt border wall. Most of the Gazans returned after stocking up on food and other basic supplies that have become scarce due to the blockade imposed on the territory by Israel. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians cross into Egypt from Gaza UN personnel said they estimated the number of Palestinians who entered Egypt to be 350,000. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced that he had ordered his troops to allow Palestinians to cross into Egypt because they were starving. Speaking at the Cairo International Book fair, Mubarak told reporters that when Palestinians began breaking through the Gaza-Egypt border at Rafah by force, he told his men to let them in to buy food before escorting them out. RELATED Ahmadinejad, Mubarak discuss Gaza Analysis: What exactly is a humanitarian crisis? Analyze This: The PR war: Stumbling around in the darkness "I told them to let them come in and eat and buy food and then return them later as long as they were not carrying weapons," he said, in answer to reporters' questions. Mubarak said his border guards originally had forced back the Gazans on Tuesday. A Hamas member, left, and Egyptian security personnel, right, watch as Palestinians cross the border into Egypt after gunmen exploded the separated wall between Gaza Strip and Egypt, Wednesday. Photo: AP "But today a great number of them came back because the Palestinians in Gaza are starving due to the Israeli siege. Egyptian troops accompanied them to buy food and then allowed them to return to the Gaza Strip," he added. Mubarak also criticized Hamas for continuing to fire missiles into Israel, saying that it was not helping the situation. He said that he had been in contact with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and helped convince him to resume fuel shipments into Gaza. "Although fuel was sent and electricity was back, some on the Palestinian side then fired seven missiles," he said. "This does not help to bring quiet." Also Wednesday, Israel Radio reported that Egyptian police forcefully dispersed a protest held in Egypt in support of Gaza Palestinians. Police officers used tear gas on the crowd and arrested some 500 people, most of them members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Israel is worried about the chaos on the Gaza-Egypt border, and expects Egypt to solve the problem, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wednesday, several hours after the Gazans poured into Egypt. Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel noted that Israel has no forces on the Gaza-Egypt border. Therefore, he said, "It is the responsibility of Egypt to ensure that the border operates properly, according to the signed agreements," he said. "We expect the Egyptians to solve the problem. Obviously we are worried about the situation. It could potentially allow anybody to enter." Egyptian border guards and Hamas police took no action as Palestinians hurried over the border and began returning with bags of food, boxes of cigarettes and plastic bottles of fuel. The chaotic scenes came on the sixth day of a complete closure of Gaza, imposed by Israel and backed by Egypt, in response to a spike in Gaza rocket attacks on Israeli border towns. Hamas has orchestrated daily demonstrations on the Gaza-Egypt border, in an apparent attempt to appeal to Arab public opinion and pressure Egypt to open the passage. On Tuesday, Israel eased the closure slightly, transferring fuel to restart Gaza's only power plant, and also sent in some cooking gas, food and medicine. Israel has pledged to continue limited shipments because of concerns that a humanitarian crisis could develop. Before dawn Wednesday, Palestinian gunmen began blowing holes in the border wall running along the Gaza-Egypt border. Hamas security later closed most holes, but left two open and allowed free traffic through those. Hamas appears to be applying pressure on Egypt, which has cooperated with Israel's sanctions by keeping the Rafah border closed. By affecting public opinion in Egypt, scenes of privation in Gaza could force Egypt to ease the border closure, allowing the Hamas regime to relieve its isolation. An off-duty Hamas security officer who identified himself as Abdel Rahman, 29, said this was his first time out of Gaza. "I can smell the freedom," he said. "We need no border after today." Mekel pledged Tuesday that the shipments would go on. "We will continue [Wednesday] and in the coming days to deliver more aid to Gaza until all promised supplies get across," he said. The Defense Ministry ruled late Tuesday that 250,000 liters of diesel fuel would be transferred into Gaza daily, but the crossings would remain closed to other goods and people until further notice. http://www.jpost.com/ Palestinians excitedly buy cola, goats, phones after the Wall is Smashed updated 7:51 a.m. CT, Wed., Jan. 23, 2008 RAFAH, Egypt - Osama Hassan can finally get what he needs to wed his fiancee, thanks to Palestinian militants who smashed the Gaza border wall Wednesday and cleared the way for Hassan and tens of thousands of locked-up Gazans to stock up in Egypt on basic supplies that are scarce at home. Hassan, 25, and his 17-year-old fiancee Sarah hit home supplies stores in the Egyptian border town of Rafah. He bought a specialty mattress for his injured back and she assembled kitchen supplies. The two had initially put off their wedding until July because they lacked the basics for setting up a household. After Wednesday's shopping spree, they plan to wed next week. Hassan is a former Fatah fighter, but said he's grateful to rival Hamas for opening the border. "I'm Fatah, but today, I wish I could see (Hamas prime minister Ismail) Haniyeh and kiss his forehead, because without the gunmen doing this, we would have been stuck in the Gaza Strip," Hassan said. Egyptian shopkeepers took advantage of the sudden surge in customers, swiftly raising prices of milk, taxi rides and cigarettes. The price hikes didn't deter long-denied Gazans. They crowded into shops, buying anything they could. Children bought soft drinks and chocolate, women scooped up cheeses and cleaning products and many men stocked up on cigarettes _ all expensive, or simply unavailable in Gaza because of Israel's shutdown of cargo crossings in June, after the Hamas' takeover. Other Palestinians staggered into Gaza carrying televisions, and others sported brand-new mobile phones. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22800452/