Sunday, December 31, 2006
KISMAYU, Somalia, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Thousands of Somalis were fleeing the town of Jilib on Sunday, as Ethiopian tanks and government troops headed to confront Islamists digging in for a last stand in the south, witnesses said.
"Two thirds of the population in Jilib have fled the town. I can say nearly 4,700 have fled," local aid worker Osman Mohamed told Reuters. "People are fleeing with the little possessions they can carry, like bedding, water and food."
Islamist fighters, vowing a holy war against Ethiopian troops who have intervened to support the interim government against them, confirmed that residents were streaming out of the area they have made their front line.
Jilib is 45 km (28 miles) north of the southern port of Kismayu, where the Islamist leaders are trying to re-group after being pushed out of Mogadishu.
Mohamed said the Islamists had used bulldozers to dig trenches outside Jilib.
"There are around 3,000 Islamic troops armed with over 60 'technicals' and so many artillery launchers and anti-aircraft and anti-tank rockets," he added, using the Somali term 'technical' for pickups mounted with heavy weapons.
Source: Reuters, Dec 31, 2006