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http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/07/20/somalia.fightering.ap/index.html
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Residents reported hundreds of Ethiopian troops in armored vehicles patrolling the central Somali town of Baidoa on Thursday, less than a day after Islamic militants reached the outskirts of the strategic town that is home to a largely powerless U.N.-backed government.
A leader of the Islamic group controlling large parts of southern Somalia demanded that Ethiopian troops withdraw.
"We will declare Jihad if the Ethiopian government refuses to withdraw their troops from Somalia. They must withdraw as soon as possible ... We will wait for some time to see if they respect our demands," Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed told The Associated Press.
A spokesman for the Ethiopian government had said that his country would protect Somalia's transitional government from attack by the Somali Islamic militias.
Witnesses told AP that Ethiopian soldiers arrived Thursday afternoon in Baidoa, the only town held by the government, 240 kilometers (150 miles) northwest of Mogadishu and about 150 kilometers (100 miles) east of the Ethiopian border.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Residents reported hundreds of Ethiopian troops in armored vehicles patrolling the central Somali town of Baidoa on Thursday, less than a day after Islamic militants reached the outskirts of the strategic town that is home to a largely powerless U.N.-backed government.
A leader of the Islamic group controlling large parts of southern Somalia demanded that Ethiopian troops withdraw.
"We will declare Jihad if the Ethiopian government refuses to withdraw their troops from Somalia. They must withdraw as soon as possible ... We will wait for some time to see if they respect our demands," Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed told The Associated Press.
A spokesman for the Ethiopian government had said that his country would protect Somalia's transitional government from attack by the Somali Islamic militias.
Witnesses told AP that Ethiopian soldiers arrived Thursday afternoon in Baidoa, the only town held by the government, 240 kilometers (150 miles) northwest of Mogadishu and about 150 kilometers (100 miles) east of the Ethiopian border.
