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Somalia goes to war...
 Bodies lay in the streets and fighters pounded each other with heavy artillery and mortars for a third day Thursday as Somalia's Islamic leader announced the country was now at war, leaving a day-old peace initiative in tatters.The Ethiopian-backed interim government fought for control of strategic areas close to its base with fighters from the rival Islamic movement. The clashes threaten to spiral into a major conflict in this volatile region, sucking in Ethiopia and its bitter rival Eritrea. Analysts believe Ethiopia may soon raise the stakes by deploying attack helicopters in support of the government. An Associated Press photographer saw 19 bodies of Islamic fighters in Moode Moode, a town 15km from the government garrison town of Baidoa, where fighting had taken place Wednesday. Posted by: Fred 2006-12-22 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=175774 |