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| First peacekeepers are in Somalia | First peacekeepers are in Somalia |
| (about 1 hour 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. | 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 and Burundi. | 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 and Burundi. |
| 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. |
| AU FORCE IN SOMALIA Uganda: 1,500 Nigeria: 850 Burundi: 1,700Ghana: unconfirmed Q&A: Somali conflict class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5694&edition=2&ttl=20070301105541">Have Your Say | |
| 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 and took control. | 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 and took control. |
| More than 10,000 civilians have fled Mogadishu in the past two weeks, the United Nations estimates. | More than 10,000 civilians have fled Mogadishu in the past two weeks, the United Nations estimates. |
| 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. |
| An insurgency launched by ousted Islamists also appears to be making its mark, with daily attacks - often targeting Ethiopian forces. | An insurgency launched by ousted Islamists also appears to be making its mark, with daily attacks - often targeting Ethiopian forces. |
| There have been several protests against the deployment of AU forces in Somalia, even though 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, even though many Somalis are keen to see the departure of Ethiopian forces as quickly as possible. |
| Islamist insurgents have warned that foreign peacekeepers are not welcome in Somalia. | Islamist insurgents have warned that foreign peacekeepers are not welcome in Somalia. |
| Mogadishu incidents | Mogadishu incidents |
| In the latest violence, two people were killed during a fire exchange between security guards belonging to the head of the Mogadishu port and unknown gunmen who ambushed his convoy. | In the latest violence, two people were killed during a fire exchange between security guards belonging to the head of the Mogadishu port and unknown gunmen who ambushed his convoy. |
| Peacekeepers are being deployed as violence is on the rise | Peacekeepers are being deployed as violence is on the rise |
| "Militiamen ambushed Abdi Jiidow convoy as he was retuning home in southern Mogadishu killing one of his guards. They responded and in the process of the shoot-out killed one of the attackers" witnesses told AFP news agency. | "Militiamen ambushed Abdi Jiidow convoy as he was retuning home in southern Mogadishu killing one of his guards. They responded and in the process of the shoot-out killed one of the attackers" witnesses told AFP news agency. |
| And in a separate incident, masked men attacked a car belonging Ibrahim Abdi Adan, the police chief in southern Mogadishu. A civilian was injured and a suspect has been arrested following the shoot out. | And in a separate incident, masked men attacked a car belonging Ibrahim Abdi Adan, the police chief in southern Mogadishu. A civilian was injured and a suspect has been arrested following the shoot out. |
| Security guards say the suspect and his colleagues were trying plant explosives by the roadside. | Security guards say the suspect and his colleagues were trying plant explosives by the roadside. |