MOGADISHU, Dec 23: Somali Islamists claimed to have captured a frontline position from Ethiopian-backed government forces on Saturday as the embattled Somali prime minister warned that foreign “terrorists” had joined the ranks of the Islamic forces.

As fighting raged between the country’s rival powers for a fourth straight day, Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi said that 4,000 “foreign fighters” had taken advantage of the conflict to infiltrate the lawless country.

“This shows how terrorists are gaining ground in Somalia, so we are calling the international community to be aware of (what is happening in) Somalia,” he added.

“The aim of the Islamists, who enjoy the assistance of foreign fighters, is to crackdown on the Somali government and the rest of the countries in the region ... we have to protect our government and people,” Gedi explained.

Islamists meanwhile renewed calls for Muslims around the world to offer support for the “holy war”, and claimed to have captured a key frontline position at Idale, some 60 kilometres south of the government headquarters in Baidoa.

“Our Islamic fighters have taken control of Idale and are heading to other parts where Tigray (Ethiopian) invaders are now based,” Islamic movement information chief Abdurahim Ali Muddey said.

“By the will of Allah, we will liberate our people and country from the Ethiopian invaders,” he said.

Information Minister Ali Jama did not confirm the seizure, but said “fighting is raging in Idale.” Witnesses said the rivals were bombarding each other with mortars, rockets and machine-gun fire, causing heavy casualties.

With no sign of a let-up in the fighting, the Islamist leadership called on Muslims around the world to join in the clashes that threaten to engulf the entire Horn of Africa region.

“Grave results will be witnessed if the international community maintains ignoring the deteriorating situation in Somalia,” added Islamist security chief Sheikh Yusuf Mohamed Siad Indo’adhe, who made the appeal to Muslims.

The fresh violence drew calls for restraint from the international community, with the United Nations and African Union regional grouping urging an immediate end to the fighting in the country, which has been effectively lawless since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.—AFP