Namrud Berhane
The PM, who sees Kismayo's take over as a breach of a cease fire agreement, warned his rivals the UIC, that any advance towards Baidowa would be met with the retaliatory force from Ethiopia and Kenya.
"The security of Somalia is linked with the security of neighboring countries," Ghedi said during an interview with BBC's Network Africa Program. "Ethiopian troops, as well as Kenyan troops, are on alert, if any external or internal forces try to attack the Transitional Federal Government and its temporary seat in Baidowa," he said.
Somalia's interim government led by President Abdulahi Yusuf was looking forward to the arrival via Kenya, of an African peace support mission.
The UIC, have consistently been rejecting the deployment of any foreign troops in Somalia, and advanced on the port town which borders Kenya in an effort to prevent any mission from entering.
As Islamic militia led by Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki, also known as Hassan Turki arrived in Kismayo, gun men loyal to a coalition of warlords led by Barre Adan Shire Hirale, the Defense Minister in the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) are reported to have laid down their arms and fled.
Hassan Turki a man who is rarely seen in public and is on the UN and US terror suspects list and allegedly has contacts with al-Qaeda.
The deputy leader of the collapsed Juba Valley Coalition and member of the Transitional Parliament Yusuf Mire Serar also handed over his weapons, his militia and he himself joined the courts on Monday.
"Also 300 of my militiamen joined the Islamic Courts and I did so to get peace and security because I understand that Islamic Courts made big changes to the capital and also in other key towns in the country," Mire told reporters.
Just before heading to Kismayo, Hassan Turki is reported to have called HornAfrik Radio in the town and said that he was "not in hiding any more" and that he and his army were "heading to the Somalia-Kenya border to prevent the arrival of IGAD troops."
As soon as the UIC arrived though, they closed down the radio station and briefly detained three reporters.
Meanwhile, there are reports that Ethiopian forces have arrived in Baidowa to protect the TFG.
Both the government of Ethiopia and Somalia's TFG have categorically denied the reports.
On Wednesday, it is also reported, a large Ugandan military plane landed in Baidowa, what it was carrying however is not yet known. According to Shaballe Radio, reporters were prevented from getting close to the plane by police.
If however it is Ugandan troops that have arrived in Baidowa, some analysts believe it is to secure and protect an overland route from Kampala to Baidowa.
Without Kismayo it becomes difficult for the TFG or any other foreign troops to get supplies. Hence the need for an alternative land route.
"The southwestern Somalian city of Baardheere -- about 200 miles north of Kismayo -- lies square along this line, and thus is a likely battleground between Ugandan forces and the ICU," the analysts say.
Source: The Reporter, Sept 30, 2006