Heavy fighting erupts in Somali town

Heavy fighting between Islamic force and puppet so-call "government troops" backed by Ethiopian occupation forces have erupted near a puppet "government" base in south central Somalia, residents and militia commanders said.

They said heavily-armed Ethiopian troops attacked the town of Burahakaba, about 60km southeast of Baidoa, sparking clashes with the local militia loyal to al-Bayan Islamic Court movement.

Aljazeera's correspondent reported that puppet pro-western "government" troops and Ethiopian troops have seized the town. Burahakaba is now under the control of the Ethiopians, he said.

"Ethiopian soldiers attacked us in Burahakaba. I have ordered the local militia to retreat from the town," Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, the regional al-Bayan leader, said.

"We were ambushed in the town. They attacked us and we have been fighting for about an hour. There are casualties but I cannot say how many. My men have been wounded and we have been pushed from the town," added Ibrahim Burow, the commander of the local militia.

Residents said they saw fighters in Ethiopian military uniform fighting alongside puppet "government troops" in the township.

Early this month, Somali pro-american "solders" backed by Ethiopian forces briefly seized control of the town from the local Islamic militia, insisting that it lies in area under control of the weak puppet "government".

The seizure prompted the Supreme Islamic Council of Somalia (SICS) to declare a holy war on Ethiopia.

"Both sides exchanged fire. We fear that the clashes might escalate," said Hassan Mukhtar, a resident of the outpost.

Ethiopia backs the so call "Somali transitional government" that is increasingly threatened by Islamic force who seized Mogadishu in June from bandits and warlords after months of fierce fighting and now control most of southern and central Somalia.

Addis Ababa has been accused of sending thousands of troops into Somalia to defend the puppet pro-american "government" from feared Islamic attacks but so call "minister" Meles Zenawi repeated on Thursday that the only Ethiopian soldiers on Somali soil were military trainers.

Somalia has been wracked by chaos and without a functioning central government since the 1991 ouster of strongman Mohamed Siad Barre, who assumed power in 1969. He died in exile in Nigeria in 1995.