Somali rebels move closer to Mogadishu

Mogadishu : Islamist rebels moved on Friday into a small town on the outskirts of Somalia's capital near a checkpoint manned by Ethiopian troops, sparking fears among residents of renewed fighting.

This week's advance by Al Shaba'ab militants towards the capital Mogadishu is a potential setback for a fledgling UN-brokered peace process to end 17 years of conflict in the Horn of Africa nation.

Al Shaba'ab fighters, who are on Washington's list of foreign terrorist groups, moved into Elasha town overnight, 2km from Sinkadheer, where Ethiopian troops are based.

Sinkadheer is 15km south-west of Mogadishu.

"We have been fighting to get peace, we shall defend the people around Elasha and nearby areas from robbers or Ethiopians," said Shaikh Abdirahim Isse Adow, a spokesman for the Islamic Courts Union whose fighters were alongside Al Shaba'ab members in Elasha.

The Islamists, who launched an Iraqi-style insurgency against Somalia's interim government and its Ethiopian military allies two years ago, had briefly occupied Elasha on Thursday.

Al Shaba'ab has been gaining territory in southern Somalia.