Sharif Ahmed (centre) , the executive chairman of Mogadishu Islmaic Courts flanked by Yusuf Indha'ade ( 2nd left) and other militia commanders praying  on Mogadishu International airport runnway tarmac yesterda.

Mogadishu, Somalia, July 15, 2006 (SL Times) – A 17 member delegation of the Islamic Courts left Mogadishu yesterday for the Sudanese capital Khartoum in order to take part in talks with the leaders of the so-called Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.

The Courts team flew from Mogadishu’s airport which was opened Friday for the first time in 11 years.

However the TFG’s president Abdillahi Yusuf announced yesterday that his government decided not to participate in the Khartoum talks. Mr. Yusuf said the decision to boycott the Arab League mediated talks was taken in the light of clashes between the Islamic forces and the militia of warlord Abdi Qaybdiid in Mogadishu earlier this week.

Yusuf said the Islamic Courts by fighting the Qaybdiid militia have breached an agreement reached with the TFG in Khartoum at the end of last month.

He claimed that Islamic Courts leaders couldn’t be trusted to respect agreements.

Meanwhile there were conflicting reports as to the TFG’s actual position on participation in the Khartoum talks originally scheduled to open today.

The speaker of the TFG parliament Sharif Hassan on Friday told reporter in Baidoa that the government has asked for postponement of the talks. He indicated that the government was still interested to meet with the Islamist in Khartoum.

Source: Somaliland Times

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