December
11, 2006: The fighting has died down, but the Islamic Courts have an edge, and
continue to push back the Transitional Government forces whenever there is a
fight. No one has trained soldiers, just warriors. That means the fighting is
sporadic, and likely to break off when one side loses enthusiasm for the
battle. In most cases, the Transitional Government forces lose heart first. It
will take Ethiopian troops or UN peacekeepers to prevent the Islamic Courts
from destroying the Transitional Government. Ethiopia has troops inside
Somalia, but doesn't like to talk about it, or admit it. The UN has no idea
when its peacekeepers will be able to go into action.
December
9, 2006: Fighting ended in Dinsoor, with about fifty dead (60 percent of the
them Transitional Government fighters.) The Islamic Courts forces remain in
control of the town. Both sides skirmished about 40 kilometers south of
Baidoa.
December
8, 2006: Fighting continues at Bandiradley and Dinsoor. Ethiopia denies that
its troops are fighting in Somalia.
December
8, 2006: Islamic Courts and Transitional Government forces skirmished at the
village of Bandiradley (600 kilometers north of Mogadishu), while Ethiopian
troops appear to be assisting Transitional Government troops in an attempt to
recapture Dinsoor.
December
7, 2006: The Islamic Courts say that there will be war if UN peacekeepers try
to enter Somalia.
December
6, 2006: The UN authorized a peacekeeping force for Somalia, to support the
Transitional Government. The African Union will provide the troops (but not
from any countries bordering Somalia), and has an initial six month mandate. No
one is rushing troops to join this force, although the African Union has
authorized a force of 8,000 troops. The African Union is waiting for Western
nations to come up with the cash to pay for all this.
