Somali president says door to peace talks closed

Somalia’s president today said peace talks with the country’s Islamic movement are no longer an option because the group’s leaders have declared war on his government.

“They are the ones who effectively closed the door to peace talks and they are the ones who are waging the war,” Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf said.

Tension has been mounting in recent weeks between Somalia’s government, which has Western and UN recognition but little authority on the ground, and the Council of Islamic Courts, which controls most of southern Somalia.

The Islamists have vowed to launch a holy war starting Tuesday unless Ethiopian troops supporting the government leave Somalia.

“The fighting can happen at any time now,” Yusuf said, adding that his administration will not be the first to attack.

The Islamic courts have been steadily gaining power since June, raising concerns about an emerging Taliban-style regime. The United States accuses the group of having ties to al-Qaida, which it denies.

“Al-Qaida is opening up shop in Somalia,” Yusuf warned. “This is a new chapter and part of the terror group’s plan to wage war against the West.”