Ethiopia 'begins Somalia pullout'

Many Somalis resent the presence of the Ethiopian troops

Ethiopia says its troops have begun their final pullout from Somalia, after two years helping the transitional government there fight insurgents.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's spokesman said the withdrawal would take several days.

A convoy of about 30 Ethiopian vehicles loaded with troops and equipment has left the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Hours earlier a roadside bomb killed two Ethiopian soldiers and several civilians died when troops opened fire.

"We have already started to implement our withdrawal plan. It will take some more days. It is a process and it will take some time," Bereket Simon, special adviser to the Ethiopian premier, told AFP news agency.

There are currently some 3,600 Ugandan and Burundian African Union (AU) peacekeepers in Somalia who are due to take over security duties until joint units involving government forces and moderate opposition factions are established.

But there are fears that violence will continue despite a peace deal between Somalia's transitional government and one of the main opposition factions. Some fear the Ethiopian withdrawal could lead to a power vacuum.

But others say it could make it easier for a new government to be formed, including moderate Islamist forces.

The Ethiopian intervention to help government forces oust Islamists from the capital two years ago was deeply unpopular with many Somalis.

Various Islamist and nationalist groups now control much of southern Somalia.

Government forces only control parts of Mogadishu and the town of Baidoa.