Islamic militia cornered, Somali minister says

The UN-backed Somali government is closing in ona fortified town occupied by remnants ofthe Islamic militia that formerly controlled much of the country, a government official said Friday.

Government troops,supported bysoldiers from neighbouring Ethiopia,are preparing to attackRas Kambonion the southern tip of Somalia, wherefighters forthe Council of Islamic Courts have dug in,Defence Minister Col. Barre (Hirale) Aden Shire said.

"Today we will launch a massive assault on the Islamic courts
militias," he said. "They have dug huge trenches around Ras Kamboni but have only two options: to drown in the sea or to fight and die."

Meanwhile, the U.S. navy is patrolling the Indian Oceannear the town to prevent the militia from escaping, the Associated Press reported.

Government and Ethiopianforces have been fighting the militia since Ethiopia declared waron the Islamic militants on Dec. 24. The militia has been driven from the capital, Mogadishu, and much of the area they occupied in southern Somalia.

The militants want to rule Somalia according to Islamic law.

Ethiopia backs the two-year-old interim government. Before the Ethiopian intervention, thegovernment had been steadily losing ground to the Islamists.

U.S., European, African and Arab diplomats metFriday to discuss the situation. The U.S. agreed toprovide up to $40 million US to help Somalia, and plans for an African peacekeeping force to stabilize the country are under discussion.

Meanwhile, an al-Qaeda official called on Islamic militants to continue to fight the Ethiopians, which the militia has already pledged to do.

"I speak to you today as the crusader Ethiopian invasion forces violate the soil of the beloved Muslim Somalia. Launch ambushes, land mines, raids and suicidal combats until you consume them as the lions and eat their prey," al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri saidan audio message posted on the internet Friday.

The veracity of the message could not be verified.

The Islamists have saidthey will start aguerrilla war. Somali officials have said that 3,500 Islamic fighters are hiding inMogadishu.