Since the days that President Clinton withdrew US troops from Somalia, it has become the perfect breeding ground for Islamists. The Salafist Islamic Courts have consolidated power in this failed and lawless region. A nominal government has tried to coalesce, but the Islamic Courts have opposed them on the ground.
A week ago, Hassan Turki of the Islamic Courts party announced their intention to push the remnants of the government forces out of Somalia altogether
Number-two leader of the Islamic Courts Mr. Hassan Turki announced his organization’s immediate intention to chase President Abdulahi Yusuf and his powerless government out of Baydhabo in the coming days. In a telephone interview with Horn Afrik radio in Mogadishu, he said the southern part of the country is in our hands and we are going to Burao (in Somaliland) and Galkaio (in Puntland).
Now Turki has made good on his threat
The Islamist militia, in an armored convoy of more than 30 battlewagons, are believed to be heading for the southern part of Galkayo, the capital of Mudug region, to establish an Islamic Court there.
Bill Roggio notes
Ethiopian forces have been reinforcing positions in Puntland to shore up the local militias against the advance of the Islamic Courts. There is no word if Ethiopian forces were involved in the attack.
The Puntland government is growing concerned about the rise of influence of the Islamic Courts within their own territory. Members of the Puntland parliament have introduced a bill to ban BBC's Somali Service for "being partisan and pro-Islamic Courts, to the detriment of Puntland and other political factions."
There have been reports of US troops manuevering on the Kenyan border
[Ahmed Sa’ad, Union of Islamic Courts] has told Shabelle Radio in Mogadishu that American troops have several times arrived at the border between Kenya and Somalia, carrying out unspecified mission in the area.
The news comes at a time when Somalia Islamists had declared a jihad or holy war against thousands of Ethiopian troops in the country.
I'd like to think that's the case, but all we have is Sa'ad's word and it may be just propaganda. But it does seem that the shooting has started
Fighting that lasted four hours has erupted in Bandiradley, 90 km north east Gakayo where the semiautonomous regional government of Puntland administers.
The fighting has taken place between the Union of Islamic Courts fighters and Abdi Qeybdid's that are stationed in somewhere less than five km from then Islamists' stronghold.
Abdi Qeybdid was the last cell of tribal warlords forcefully evicted from the capital Mogadishu 5 June this year after more than 100 people lost their lives in that fight.
Mohammed Mohomood Jim'ale, Islamic Courts spokesperson for central Somalia, has confirmed to Shabelle that skirmishes happened in Bandiradley administered by Islamists.
Jim'ale said militias loyal to Abdi Qeybdid backed by Puntland forces have attacked their positions, trying to force them out of Bnadiredley.
Soon there may be a terrorist haven in the Horn of Africa.
