There were also reports of airstrikes in the south, where Islamist forces have retreated.

"Embracing the Islamist forces was a way to channel fervor and to distract criticism," one Western official said.

The next day, Ethiopia struck, its military pushing deep into Somalia to begin wiping out the Islamist forces.

The Islamist forces that ruled much of the country for the past six months are out.

Remnants of the Islamist forces were being pursued into the nearby forests and fighting would continue.

The troops reported "harassment" from Islamist forces but no solid resistance to their operations.

At the beginning of June 2008 Islamist forces started taking whole districts across central parts of Somalia.

He stated that the government's power is on the verge of being defeated by Islamist forces in the Somali capital.

I mean a consensus with all the groups which do not wish to witness the victory of the radical Islamist terrorist forces.

Many of these mosques had been used as arms caches and weapon strongpoints by Islamist forces.