Somalia War Rages on

The Courts claim their fighters have seized the frontline position of Idale south of Baidoa

Courts Information Chief Abdurahim Ali Muddey said their fighters have seized the frontline position of Idale, some 60 kilometers (40 miles) south of Baidoa, the seat of the interim government, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"Our Islamic fighters have taken control of Idale and are heading to other parts where Tigray (Ethiopian) invaders are now based, by the will of Allah, we will liberate our people and country from the Ethiopian invaders," he told AFP.

There was no independent confirmation of the claim.

Ethiopia is supporting Somalia's weakened government against the Courts, which control the capital Mogadishu and much of the rest of the war-ravaged Horn of Africa nation.

Fighting erupted early Wednesday, hours after the expiry of a Courts-imposed ultimatum to Ethiopia to withdraw the thousands of troops the courts say Addis Ababa has deployed in the country.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the fighting has left "dozens" dead.

But the government has said its Ethiopian-backed forces have killed more than 500 courts fighters since Wednesday, while the Courts spoke of slaying at least 70 enemy combatants.

Muddey said the Courts Islamist forces were pushing back the Ethiopian-backed troops.

"The invaders have been repelled, we have a lot of their bodies here and are going to show the media, we have their ID cards, pictures with their wives and other equipment," he said.

The fighting on twin fronts has forced thousands of residents to flee.

Ethiopian Tanks

Ethiopia moved Friday night tanks and other reinforcements into the battle zone, witnesses said.

They said Ethiopian military trucks headed to Sadehigle, outside the Courts-held town of Bandiradley, about 630 kilometers (400 miles) north of Mogadishu.

Witnesses said Ethiopian tanks traveled overnight to Daynunay, a flashpoint garrison town about 30 kilometers to the east of Baidoa, where shelling was reported.

The fighting drew calls for restraint from the international community, with the United Nations and African Union regional grouping calling for an immediate end to the fighting.

"The (UN) Secretary General strongly deplores the recent outbreak of fighting between the forces of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) near Baidoa," Kofi Annan's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement carried by Reuters Friday.

"He is deeply concerned that the escalation of conflict in Somalia will have disastrous consequences for civilians."

AU Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare also expressed concern at the humanitarian consequences of the upsurge of violence and urged both sides to "work in earnest towards creating propitious conditions for the resumption, without delay, of dialogue".

The fighting and war of words have come despite a statement by European Commission humanitarian chief Louis Michel on Wednesday that he had secured the commitment of both sides to observe a truce and resume peace talks.

Arab League-mediated talks in Khartoum collapsed in November.