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31 March 2007
Addis Ababa , March 30, 2007 (Addis Ababa) - The Ethiopian army has freed areas in Mogadishu City who were under control of insurgents, whom it said, were affecting the movement of the peacekeeping forces in certain places of the city by launching an offensive, the Ministry of Information said.
The army of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has been striving to bring dependable peace and stability in Mogadishu by averting the subversive activities of insurgents under the coordination of the UIC's remnants and militias operating under the shadow their clans, the Ministry quoted the Ministry of Defense as saying.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian army operating in Somalia has been exerting efforts to resolve the clash between the TFG army and armed men peacefully through negotiation with the help of clan leaders.
However, as the efforts launched by the community and clan leaders was unsuccessful in stopping the subversive activities by the militias and the failure of the militias who are operating under the leaderships of the remnants of UIC's extremist group to stop their subversive activities, the Ethiopian army has launched its offensive against the forces since Thursday at the request of the TFG.
In its offensive, the Ethiopian army has put under control the several areas, which were used as their strongholds, including the stadium and Mogadishu tower, it said.
More than 200 armed men of the extremist group were killed and several others wounded during the offensive, the statement said, adding that 13 others surrendered to the army.
It said 13 battle-wagons and vehicles full of arms were destroyed by the offensive.
The statement said one military aircraft was damaged during the offensive, the statement said.
(ENA)