| abstract | - On December 20, first major hostilities broke out on many sides around Baidoa. Heavy shooting broke out between Somali government troops and Islamists southeast of Baidoa where the Islamists claimed to have taken the government's military base in Daynuunay. The conflict thereafter moved north to the Islamist stronghold in Moode Moode (also spelled "Mode Mode"). Heavy weapons, including artillery, rockets and mortars were involved. Initial claims of fighting in this area were at least ten dead ICU militiamen and forty TFG troops wounded. Later claims of ICU casualties by the TFG were 71 Islamic soldiers dead and 221 injured, including two dead foreign fighters. The TFG claimed its own casualties were 3 dead and 7 wounded while the ICU claimed to have killed 7 government troops. Fighting was reported on many fronts around the capital in Iidale village (55 km south of Baidoa), Buulo Jadid (23 km north of Baidoa, also spelled Bullo Jadid), and Manaas (30 km southwest of Baidoa). One TFG death and numerous injured civilians were reported in Iidale. A later report raised the casualties to three soldiers killed and two injured. Thirteen trucks filled with Ethiopian reinforcements were reported en route to the fighting. An AFP report mentioned the TFG claimed the attack on Iidale was led by Abu Taha al-Sudan, who is "wanted by Washington for carrying out attacks against its embassies in east Africa in 1998 and against an Israeli-owned hotel in Kenya in 2002." This report raised the death toll from the artillery duel in Iidale to 12, and added that the government captured 30 "armed vehicles" (presumably technicals). It also contradicted the fall of Daynuunay to the ICU: "'The fighting is so fierce, but government forces are still controlling Daynuunay,' said Issak Adan Mursaley, a resident in Daynuunay." Meanwhile, an EU peace-brokering commission led by Louis Michel landed at Baidoa and then Mogadishu to meet respectively with the TFG and ICU representatives. Discussions yielded the agreement to meet in Khartoum, Sudan at an unspecified future date. In Dadaab Kenya, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Wendy Chamberlin, said camps there accounted for 34,000 refugees fleeing the fighting and floods in Somalia, but that number is expected to grow to 80,000 if fighting continues. The World Food Programme (WFP) is attempting to provide relief, but floods and mud have hampered ground transportation. Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, speaking for the ICU, claimed fighting was going its way in Iidale and Buulo Jadid, saying they captured two technicals, killed nine soldiers, and had taken prisoners in the fighting. On December 21, Puntland President Adde Muse claimed ICU casualties were heavy in the fighting around Baidoa, sustaining 75 dead and 125 wounded, along with the loss of 30 vehicles burned or captured. Also reported that same day, fighting in Idale and Daynuunay was said to have started the prior morning and continued through the next day. No stint in the fighting seemed to be coming, as both sides continued to gather reinforcements. Casualty figures were unavailable, but the numbers were expected to be in the hundreds easily. The report went on to refute ICU claim of victory, and stated the government again possession of Iidale and killed foreign fighters. The government reportedly captured dozens of Islamist students who took up arms, sufficient in quantity to fill three lorries. Islamist militias were said to have taken away the bodies of 70 dead, with another 45 severely wounded being at area hospitals. Conflicting reports from the ICU claim they killed 203 Ethiopian troops and wounded another 200, with the loss of only 20 men and 53 wounded. IRIN confirmed through medical sources at least 50 were killed on both sides and at least 150 to 200 wounded. Civilians were fleeing the area to avoid the heavy fighting. On December 23, dozens of dead Ethiopian soldiers were displayed by Islamists to journalists in the recently captured town of Iidale. The Arab League called for a halt in the fighting, and offered to co-host peace talks between the combatants. On December 24, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi appeared on television to declare its defense forces had been forced to enter a war against the Islamists. Ethiopian warplanes reportedly began bombing ICU targets, including Dinsoor and Burhakaba in the Bay region as part of the counter-offensive in the Battle of Baidoa. Five Ethiopian tanks were said to have been destroyed in the fighting according to Islamists. On December 24, in Kismayo, 1,000 men were said to be leaving for the Battle of Baidoa, presumably to fight on behalf of the ICU. File:Somali-war-12252006-1952.svg On December 26, a general retreat from positions held by the ICU was ordered from the front in Baidoa. Burhakaba and Dinsoor were vacated after days of fierce fighting against Ethiopian-backed TFG forces. Ethiopian forces arrived in the towns during the retreat, according to some sources. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi solidified his position of temporary intervention, saying he would not send Ethiopian military units into the Somali capital, Mogadishu, but encircle the city instead so as to contain the ICU. A government spokesman appeared to offhandedly conflict with this statement however, by saying of the ICU retreat: ‘This is the first stage of victory… When this is all over, we will enter Mogadishu peacefully.’ Ethiopian bombings continued, with three people killed in Leego, east of Burhakaba. A great deal of speculation, along with claims and refutations, dealt with the number of Ethiopian forces involved in the war. According to an estimate by Rome-based Globe Research, Ethiopian forces around Baidoa were estimated to number about a division of 12,000 soldiers. Baidoa airport hosted a squadron of helicopters, and was being expanded by Ethiopian engineers to accommodate fighter aircraft. New radar was being installed. A second division of light infantry was being positioned against Beledweyne. A third prong was set to advance on Kismayo.
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