Somali clan 'at war' with Ethiopia

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Senior tribal leaders from Somalia's largest clan have declared war on Ethiopian troops and called on all Somalis to join them.

The announcement by members of the Hawai clan in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, on Friday threatened to escalate fighting between Somalia's interim government, which is backed by the Ethiopian army, and its opponents.

The increasingly heavy fighting between the rival groups has spurred representatives from neighbouring countries to hold a series of meetings in Kenya.

They are seeking a solution to the escalating conflict which has driven thousands of Mogadishu's residents from their homes in recent weeks.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/7D3455F6-5678-4075-B7A7-B728A1755266.htm

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1. Islamic Courts offer Somali talks

A senior leader of the Union of Islamic Courts has offered to negotiate with Somalia's interim government if its Ethiopian allies leave the country.

In a phone call to Al Jazeera, Sheikh Dahir Aweys, chief of the Supreme Islamic Council of the Somali Islamic Courts, also threatened on Saturday to launch attacks against African peacekeepers.

Ugandan troops are in Somalia as the vanguard of an African peacekeeping force to try to stabilise the country and allow Ethiopian troops, who helped oust the Islamic courts, and who are disliked by many Somalis, to leave.

"The Somalis are now more united that before proving that they are one nation against the Ethiopian invaders," Aweys said.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/99B3190C-E274-4DC4-B247-CBF6387564E0.htm