New York:  "UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern that US air strikes at targets in Somalia may have caused civilian casualties," said a spokesperson.

"He's concerned with the civilian casualties resulting from recent developments," spokesperson Michelle Montas said yesterday (Jan 11, 2007).

"The secretary general believes all foreign troops should withdraw and peace negotiations resume quickly," he asid.

Ban said the transitional Government in Mogadishu had welcomed the involvement of Ethiopia and the US in its fight against Islamic forces.

According to Montas, Ban believes it is in the best interest of all to avoid escalation and go back to a politically negotiated process" based on a UN resolution that calls for peaceful resolution of conflicts.
 

Somali officials said the US air strikes aimed at Al Qaeda terrorists in the south of Somalia may have killed dozens of people, most of them Islamic fighters.