The Union of Islamic Courts continues to exert its influence over Somalia and has declared 'holy war' against Ethiopia, whom they accuse of meddling in domestic affairs.
On October 9, North Korea informed the world that they had performed an underground nuclear test increasing tension in the Korean peninsula. But this was not the only region where hostilities have mounted to cause fear of war. On the same day, Somalia's powerful Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) declared jihad against Ethiopia. Although the concern emanating from Kim Jong-Il's hermit kingdom would pose a much greater threat to the international community, a war in Somalia could engage several different countries in the Horn of Africa and become the new cause for foreign jihadis.
The UIC has accused Ethiopia of infiltrating their country in support of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of President Abdullahi Yusuf, based in Baidoa. According to UIC estimates, there are already 35,000 Ethiopians on Somali soil. Although TFG is a relatively powerless organization, they did recently manage to briefly seize the pro-Islamist town of Buur Hakaba with the help of Ethiopian forces, according to witnesses. While the capture in Buur Hakaba was fleeting, this initiative marks the first counter-strike by Yusuf's interim government and the first setback to the UIC, who have rapidly extended their control of southern Somalia since taking Mogadishu at the beginning of June. Their ultimate ambition is to establish order in Somalia through sharia law. This recent display of resistance by the TFG, and perhaps Ethiopia, has raised the ire of the Islamists.
In the past, Ethiopia has stated that they are prepared to defend Somalia's TFG but Addis Ababa still insists they have not deployed any troops. The UIC maintains, however, that the siege of Buur Hakaba was a combined effort between the TFG and Ethiopian forces and they have issued a stern warning to the Ethiopians to leave their country or be responsible for whatever occurs as a result of their declared 'holy war' against them. Ethiopia is the dominant power in the Horn of Africa and some Somalis even view them as a Christian imperial force. The UIC now accuses President Yusuf and his government of being Ethiopia's puppet and as long as they continues to believe that Ethiopia is involved in their affairs, there will continue to remain the looming threat of renewed conflict in Somalia. Sheikh Abdulkadir Ali, the UIC's vice-chairman, may have forecasted the future best when he declared that "war is expected any time soon."
