Protests in Mogadishu

December 24, 2006

For six days, both sides have rained rockets, mortars and machinegun fire across several parts of a slim frontline near Baidoa. Amid the explosions, pick-up trucks armed with heavy weapons have ferried supplies forward and collected the injured. Military experts estimate Ethiopia has 15,000-20,000 troops in Somalia, while Eritrea has about 2,000 behind the Islamists. Asmara denies the accusation, while Addis Ababa previously admitted to having a few hundred military trainers in Baidoa.