Masked militia raid Somali town

ICC Note

Al-Shabab is an Islamic extremist group which is responsible for killing several Christian Somalis in recent months. The group is waging an armed struggle to impose Islamic law all over Somalia .

08/08/2008 Somalia (BBC News)- More than 100 masked Islamic militiamen have taken control of a strategic town in the south-west of Somalia .

The BBC’s Mohamed Olad Hassan in the capital says the fighters occupied Hudur town without any resistance.

They told inhabitants they were al-Shabab militants, who are opposed to Ethiopian troops in the country.

Raids

Al-Shabab, a radical wing of the Islamists who controlled much of Somalia in 2006 before being ousted by Ethiopian forcesa and Somali government troops.

The group has refused to recognise a ceasefire signed in June between the government and one Islamist leader.

Our correspondent says al-Shabab has recently carried out brazen raids in towns and villages in south and central Somalia .