Shabeelle Media Network (in Somali)

The internal leadership of the Union of Islamic Courts [UIC] has rejected the recent Djibouti agreement between the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia [TFG] and the Djibouti-based Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia [ARS].

In a press statement read to radio stations in Mogadishu by the UIC spokesman, Abdirahim Ise Adow, said the leadership of the UIC who are inside the country are opposed to the recent agreement between the [TFG] and the Djibouti-based ARS led by Shaykh Sharif Shaykh Ahmad.

Abdirahim Ise Adow in his statement said the UIC has distanced itself from those who entered an agreement with the group that led enemies into the country, while the same enemies are still inside Somalia.

Some of the significant points in the statements by the UIC spokesman were:

1. We distance ourselves from any association with those who led our long term enemy into the country and to the Somali people. They have not yet repented from the deed and the enemy is still occupying the country, and is even deploying more troops now.
2. We support the religious leaders interpretation of the Djibouti agreement that it is not in line with Islamic teachings.
3. We will continue with the jihad and the insurgency until Ethiopian troops withdraw from the country

The statement also condemned the activities of piracy and foreign troops who are at the Somali coast. The UIC spokesman said foreign troops are illegally fishing in Somali waters.

After the spokesman for the UIC finished reading the statements, the media asked Shaykh Abdqadir Ali Umar who is the head of the UIC leadership inside Somalia whether they will be able to reach an agreement with the TFG if Ethiopian troops withdraw from the country. The Shaykh responded by saying that Somalis can resolved the conflict amongst themselves but is necessary that the enemy is first of all forced to leave the country.

The statement issued by the religious leaders today comes at a time when religious leaders who were to resolve the conflict between the opposition groups in the country yesterday issued a similar statement saying the agreement between the TFG and the Djibouti-based ARS is not inline with Islamic teachings.