The situation in Somalia remains on edge, as the de facto government, the Islamic Courts Union in Mogadishu, presses for Ethiopia to withdraw its troops from the area, and continues active battling with troops supporting the official government.
In the past month, the UN has voted for an American-backed measure that would authorize mobilization of peacekeeping forces from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union, as well as lifting of an arms embargo so that the official government of Somalia can re-arm itself.
In the meantime, Islamic Courts troops are trying, not always successfully, to fight their way toward the interim government in Baidoa.
Now the Union has given Ethiopia an ultimatum, saying that Ethiopian troops must leave Somalia within a week, or be attacked.