Pirates holding an arms-laden tanker off the coast of Somalia have threatened to blow up the ship in three days if no ransom is paid, a spokesman said today.

Somalia’s government is holding up vital aid to tens of thousands of people as car bombs and street fighting brought the death toll to nearly 1,500 in less than a month, sending the country lurching towards catastrophe, it was warned.

Ethiopian troops who helped Somalia’s government drive out a radical Islamic militia last month began withdrawing from the Horn of Africa nation today, a Somali government spokesman said.

Somalia’s prime minister today said he does not expect any more major fighting against rival Islamic fighters and his Ethiopian military backer described the operation as within weeks of being completed.

Ethiopian jets dominated Somalia’s skies today and bombed the country’s two main airports while ground troops captured a strategic village.