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| First peacekeepers are in Somalia | First peacekeepers are in Somalia |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A small advance team of African Union troops has arrived in Somalia, say officials in the country. | A small advance team of African Union troops has arrived in Somalia, say officials in the country. |
| Police sources and airport staff in the southern town of Baidoa told a BBC correspondent that 30 soldiers had arrived in the town on a plane. | |
| The group are believed to be Ugandans, although this is denied. Their forces will be the first to deploy in Somalia. | The group are believed to be Ugandans, although this is denied. Their forces will be the first to deploy in Somalia. |
| Some 8,000 AU peacekeepers are to be sent to Somalia to replace Ethiopian troops, who ousted Islamists last year. | Some 8,000 AU peacekeepers are to be sent to Somalia to replace Ethiopian troops, who ousted Islamists last year. |
| But so far only half that number have been contributed by AU member states. | But so far only half that number have been contributed by AU member states. |
| Nigeria has said its 850 soldiers will be deployed from the middle of April in three phases. Other countries that have pledged to send troops are Ghana, Burundi and Malawi. | Nigeria has said its 850 soldiers will be deployed from the middle of April in three phases. Other countries that have pledged to send troops are Ghana, Burundi and Malawi. |
| New violence | New violence |
| Uganda is to send some 1,500 troops, and President Yoweri Museveni is expected to see off the first contingent of troops at a ceremony to be held in the eastern town of Jinja. | Uganda is to send some 1,500 troops, and President Yoweri Museveni is expected to see off the first contingent of troops at a ceremony to be held in the eastern town of Jinja. |
| Officials in the Ugandan military deny sending an advance party and maintain that their first troops will not embark for Somalia until the beginning of next week | Officials in the Ugandan military deny sending an advance party and maintain that their first troops will not embark for Somalia until the beginning of next week |
| Somalia has seen a new spike in violence in recent weeks, two months after Ethiopian troops backed a campaign against the Union of Islamic Courts by the country's transitional government. | Somalia has seen a new spike in violence in recent weeks, two months after Ethiopian troops backed a campaign against the Union of Islamic Courts by the country's transitional government. |
| Officials have blamed the rise in violence on the high number of weapons available in the capital, Mogadishu. | Officials have blamed the rise in violence on the high number of weapons available in the capital, Mogadishu. |
| The ousted Islamists also threatened to launch an insurgency against all foreign troops in Somalia. | The ousted Islamists also threatened to launch an insurgency against all foreign troops in Somalia. |
| There have been several protests against the deployment of AU forces in Somalia, although many Somalis are keen to see the departure of Ethiopian forces as quickly as possible. | There have been several protests against the deployment of AU forces in Somalia, although many Somalis are keen to see the departure of Ethiopian forces as quickly as possible. |