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Call to blockade Somali Islamists Call to blockade Somali Islamists
(30 minutes later)
Somalia's neighbours have called for the UN to impose a "no-fly zone" and a port blockade to prevent Islamist forces obtaining weapons.Somalia's neighbours have called for the UN to impose a "no-fly zone" and a port blockade to prevent Islamist forces obtaining weapons.
The emergency meeting of the Igad grouping also called for sanctions to be imposed on Eritrea, which denies charges it arms Islamist forces.The emergency meeting of the Igad grouping also called for sanctions to be imposed on Eritrea, which denies charges it arms Islamist forces.
A BBC correspondent says officials hope the naval task force off the Somali coast could enforce the blockade.A BBC correspondent says officials hope the naval task force off the Somali coast could enforce the blockade.
Islamists have gained ground recently and control much of the south.Islamists have gained ground recently and control much of the south.
The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) said the Islamist-controlled ports of Kismayo and Merca should be subject to a blockade "to prevent the further in-flow of arms and foreign fighters".The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) said the Islamist-controlled ports of Kismayo and Merca should be subject to a blockade "to prevent the further in-flow of arms and foreign fighters".
Humanitarian flights would be allowed to continue despite the proposed no-fly zone, the Igad statement said. Humanitarian flights would be allowed to continue despite the proposed no-fly zone, the Igad statement said after a meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
After almost 20 years of non-stop conflict, some three million people - a third of the population - need food aid. Several countries have sent warships to the Indian Ocean after a spate of attacks by Somali pirates.
SOMALI CRISIS 3m need food aid - a third of the population1m fled their homesNo government since 1991 Somali justice - Islamist-style
Somalia has been subject to a UN arms embargo for many years but weapons are still freely available in the Mogadishu weapons market.
In addition to Eritrea, analysts say that weapons also reach Somalia from Yemen.
Islamist forces attacked an African Union peacekeeping base overnight, leading to two hours of fierce fighting in the capital, Mogadishu.
The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in the city says many shells fell in residential areas and at least three civilians were killed, including a six-year-old child.
The Western-backed government only controls parts of the capital and a few pockets of territory elsewhere.
Some 4,000 AU peacekeepers are in the city, backing up the administration of moderate Islamist President Sheikh Sherif Sheikh Ahmed.
A recent upsurge in fighting has forced some 43,000 people to flee their homes in less than two weeks, the UN says.
Islamist fighters on Sunday seized the strategic town of Jowhar.
On Tuesday, eyewitnesses told the BBC that Ethiopian troops had returned to Somalia, four months after leaving.
They had helped government forces oust Islamists from Mogadishu in 2006 but withdrew in January under a UN-brokered peace deal.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991 and years of fighting have left some three million people - a third of the population - needing food aid.