Ethiopia 'at war with Islamists in Somalia'

Ethiopia is at war with the Islamists in neighbouring Somalia who want to rule according to the Koran, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said tonight.

"Our defence force has been forced to enter a war to defend (against) the attacks from extremists and anti-Ethiopian forces and to protect the sovereignty of the land," Meles said in a television address just hours after his country launched fighter jets and artillery against Islamic militants.

Ethiopia backs Somalia's fragile government, which has been losing ground to the Islamists for months.