The forces of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) on Wednesday controlled two more towns, 40 to 60 km away from the capital Mogadishu, the official Ethiopian news agency reported.

TFG Vice Defense Minister Salad Ali Jelle was quoted as saying the TFG forces controlled Bal'at town, some 40 km north of Mogadishu and Lego town, 60 km southwest of the capital.

Several soldiers of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) have been killed in the fights to control the two towns, Jelle told a press conference in Baidoa, the seat of the TFG.

The Ethiopian forces provided training and other support to the TFG in the fights to control the towns, he said.

Jelle said UIC fighters began fleeing from towns in disarray, adding that UIC fighters also engaged in clashes among themselves.

According to him, about 1,200 UIC fighters escaped by ship from Mogadishu to other countries.

He said a second ship was loading UIC fighters at Mogadishu port on Wednesday afternoon.

Jelle said UIC fighters in Kismayo port were fleeing to Mogadishu.

Source: Xinhua