From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Oct 08 2008 - 15:01:14 EDT
Somalia: New Islamist group says to launch "vigorous" attacks in Mogadishu
8.10.2008
A military brigade known as Khalid bin Walid has opened a military operations office in Mogadishu. The new religious group, which is one of the armed groups opposed to the interim Somali government and foreign troops, said it would launch vigorous attacks in Mogadishu against positions of interim government and foreign forces.
Khalid bin Walid Brigade, which fought in Kismayo, Lower Jubba Region (southern Somalia), said it would fight alongside the resistance groups fighting foreign and interim government troops.
The group expressed support for the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) with which it claimed to have a good working relationship.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Osman Abdulle, the chairman of the shura council of Khalid bin Walid Brigade, told the media that they will teach infidel Ethiopian troops and interim Somali government soldiers a lesson in the coming days.
The group says it is against the talks members of the Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) were having in Djibouti with the transitional Somali government.
It stated that the meeting would not bring Somalia anything positive and that its outcome would not alter the resistance operations in Somalia.
Somalia: Ethiopian troops pull out from southwestern Somalia
8.10.2008
A large number of Ethiopian troops with more than 30 armoured vehicles left Luuq town in southwestern Somalia and headed to Ethiopia.
Local residents confirmed to Mareeg that the troops were stationed in El Berde District in Bakol Region, southwestern Somalia.
The troops left Luq town and headed to Dolow [on the border]and finally crossed to Ethiopia. The troops came to Somalia to give support to the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.
Following different contacts made Mareeg, it has been confirmed that the troops were the ones who pulled out of Hiran Region in central Somalia recently.
This is not the first contingent of Ethiopian troops to have pulled out of Somalia and returned home.
Residents of Luuq District confirmed to Mareeg that some of the troops stayed in the district but the majority had crossed the border to Ethiopia.
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