The Somali parliament is meeting in Baidoa to discuss how the ongoing fighting in the country can be brought to an end. The government has asked parliament to approve a request to bring African Union troops into the country, to help halt the violence and disarm factions, Aljazeera's correspondent in Somalia reported on Sunday.A leader of the Islamic courts group on Sunday rejected any foreign intervention. "Any foreign interference in Somalia will aggravate the current crisis," said Shaikh Sharif Shaikh Ahmed, leader of the Islamic courts. He called for the international community to help his country by other means.
The Somali prime minister is to discuss military support with East African prime ministers at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). If parliament and the East African nations agree to the plan, it will be referred to the UN Security Council, the Somali prime minister said.