Ethiopia has won another round in its war against Islamists. Somalia's main Islamist movement, Al Itahad al Islami, lost its last major bases to an Ethiopian assault on 11 June. It was the fourth major Ethiopian attack on Al Itahad in Somalia's Gedo region and, as expected, it was against Itahad's main centre at Luq, some 90 kilometres from the border. But the timing and strength of the attack were a surprise: within hours, Ethiopia had stormed Luq and Bulo Hawo and seized a string of Itahad-controlled villages. Casualties are likely to have been heavy, as in December's fighting.
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