U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa

Tel: +254 2 622147
Fax: +254 2 622129
e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org


HORN OF AFRICA
IRIN-HOA Weekly Round-Up 227
14 - 20 October 2006


CONTENTS:

ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: 'Troops harvesting buffer zone'
SOMALIA: Former militia find new purpose
SOMALIA: Mogadishu radio station shut down
SUDAN: Armed group kills 42 civilians
SUDAN: Gov't, eastern rebels sign peace agreement


See Also:

SUDAN: Pop stars sing for peace 
[http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55989 ]

KENYA-SOMALIA: Hear Our Voices - a refugee's struggle for survival 
[http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56003]



ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: 'Troops harvesting buffer zone'

Eritrea has moved 1,500 troops and 14 tanks to a buffer zone along its 
border with Ethiopia, which was created after the war between the two 
countries over their disputed frontier. The United Nations 
Secretary-General described the Eritrean incursion as a major violation 
of the ceasefire agreement.

However, Eritrea's information minister, Ali Abdu, said the troops had 
moved to the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) to help harvest crops from 
state-run farms in the area, which, he said, constitutes one-third of 
Eritrean territory.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55976]


SOMALIA: War of words over Islamic Courts' role

An international forum trying to reconcile rival political groups in 
Somalia has urged the Islamic movement to refrain from further expanding 
its authority by military means and instead engage the transitional 
government in dialogue.

The International Contact Group on Somalia, which met in Nairobi on 
Thursday, expressed concern over what it called "threats of 
militarisation of Somalia" and deplored violations of agreements reached 
during reconciliation talks in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, between 
the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) and the transitional government. The 
UIC took control of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in early June. [Full 
story at: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56018]


SOMALIA: Former militia find new purpose

At Hiilweyne military training camp, north of the capital, Mogadishu, 
Ali Mohamed Abdi recants his sins. Until a few months ago, he was one of 
Somalia's notorious young gunmen, looting, raping and killing, living on 
'khat' - a narcotic leaf - cigarettes and amphetamines. Now he finds 
direction and discipline in the Koran.

"When I was a warlord militia I thought I was right, I thought I was a 
hero. I was proud. But now I realise how wrong I was, committing crimes 
against the people, looting, torturing people, hijacking cars and 
killing.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55982]


SOMALIA: Mogadishu radio station shut down

The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), which controls the Somali capital, 
Mogadishu, and much of the country's south-central area, has shut down 
the East Africa radio station in Mogadishu, an official of the station 
told IRIN on Monday.

"At around 7:00 a.m. local time yesterday, Islamic court people came to 
the radio station and informed the morning shift staff to shut down," 
Muhammed Mahamud Mo'allim, the radio manager, said.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55960]


SUDAN: Armed group kills 42 civilians

The government of South Sudan has ordered its security forces to act 
quickly to protect its citizens and territory from attacks by an 
unidentified armed group that has killed 42 people around the capital, 
Juba.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir Maryadit gave the order on Thursday at 
a meeting of the government's Security Committee. Kiir is also Sudan's 
first Vice-President.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56019]


SUDAN: Gov't, eastern rebels sign peace agreement

The Sudanese government and Eastern Front rebels have signed a peace 
agreement designed to end conflict in the east of the country, officials 
said.

The agreement, signed on Sunday in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, follows 
several months of talks between Sudanese officials and representatives 
of the Eastern Front. It provides for power- and resource-sharing 
between Sudan's Government of National Unity and the three eastern Sudan 
states of Kassala, Red Sea and Gaderaf.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55962]


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