Thousands at pro-Islamic Courts rally

Описание: (9 Dec 2006)
1. Medium of banner fixed to fencing at rally reading: (English) "We don't need foreign troops in our country"
2. Medium of crowd at rally
3. Medium of men dancing at rally
4. SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Takow Iffe, Islamic Court Union Official:
"We never accept our country to be used by foreigners who try to deploy their troops here. We will wage jihad against them."
5. Children dressed in army uniforms at rally
6. Various of men with rifles sitting in back of moving truck
7. Various of women at rally; some with rifles
8. Man kneeling with rifle in front of crowd
9. Man addressing crowd at rally
10. Women singing and dancing
11. Various of men at rally with rifles
12. Various of women at rally with rifles
13. Men seated at rally
STORYLINE:
Demonstrations were held in several towns throughout Somalia on Friday to protest the United Nations resolution this week, which eases a 14-year arms embargo on Somalia so an African force can equip itself.
The Council of Islamic Courts - the official name of the group that controls much of southern Somalia - organised protests in three major towns which in total attracted thousands.
Wednesday's UN resolution allows for an African peacekeeping force for Somalia to protect the weak government in its base in Baidoa, north of the capital and eases an arms embargo so the force can operate in Somalia.
However the resolution stopped Somalia's neighbours - Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya - from contributing troops.
Protesters in Mogadishu chanted slogans such as "Down with the impartial resolution from the United Nations Security Council," as did their fellow demonstrators in the port town of Kismayo and Belet Weyne.
"We never accept our country to be used by foreigners who try to deploy their troops here. We will wage jihad against them," Takow Iffe, an Islamic Court Union Official said.
The Islamic Courts' strict interpretation of Islam has drawn comparisons by some to the Taliban.
Earlier on Friday, an Islamic courts official claimed that Ethiopian troops had shelled the central Somalia town of Bandiradley, while residents of a nearby village said they had seen Ethiopian troops and tanks take up new positions near the town.
Meanwhile a top Islamic official said on Friday that militiamen fought Ethiopian troops in a southern Somalia town, and he called on Somalis to defeat "the enemies who have invaded our land."
But an official for the Somali government said the clashes were between his forces and the Islamic militia challenging the government for control of Somalia.
He denied Ethiopians, who back his government, were involved.
If confirmed, it will be the first time the Islamic militias that control most of southern Somalia have fought directly with Ethiopian troops.
Ethiopian troops were first reported in Somalia in June, soon after the Islamic courts took the capital, Mogadishu.
Ethiopia has always said it has only a few hundred military advisers in Somalia to help the transitional government form a national army, but a confidential UN report obtained by The Associated Press in October said between six and eight thousand Ethiopian troops were in Somalia or along the border.
The report also said two thousand soldiers from Eritrea were inside Somalia.
Eritrea denies having any troops in Somalia.
Somalia has had no effective central government for 15 years, since warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and then turned on each other.

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