Thousands killed as Ethiopia routs Islamist fighters

ETHIOPIAN Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has said more than 1,000 people have been killed in fighting between his troops, backing Somali government forces, and Somalia’s Islamist movement.

“We got reports of more than 3,000 wounded in a Mogadishu hospital. Those who died are well over 1,000,” Mr Meles said yesterday, two days after Ethiopia acknowledged military intervention in the neighbouring and lawless Horn of Africa.

The UN Security Council was set to hold an emergency meeting late last night on the conflict.