Somali government troops, backed with Ethiopian army, moved southwards towards Kismayu Sunday in preparations for an attack against the Islamists still threatening to resist a government takeover.

"Yes, the troops are moving towards Kismayu, but we still do not have more details," Somali Transitional Federal Government ( TFG) Spokesman Abdirahman Dinari told Xinhua by telephone from Baidoa.

The rival Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) leadership has vowed to defend their last remaining stronghold in the face of an impending government attack. But the TFG, which has been gradually strengthened with Ethiopian armoury and troops, has vowed to strike as soon as Monday.

"We plan to launch attacks soon. We will eliminate anybody threatening security in any part of Somalia ," Dinari said.

Ethiopian fighter jets flew near Kismayu Friday and Saturday and troops were heading there in an armoured convoy of 15 Ethiopian tanks, sources within the joint Ethiopian/Somali defense army said.

Somali has been volatile over the last 10 days, since the Ethiopian government launched full-scale attacks there to defend the weak TFG, which had been confined to its only remaining stronghold of Baidoa.

"The plan of the government is to remove all the remaining elements from Kismayu," Dinari said.

Mogadishu was calm Sunday after Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi officially took over Saturday after days of negotiations with clan- based elders, who assumed temporary control from the UIC members fleeing from Ethiopian troops who besieged the city.

Witnesses said there were no incidences in Mogadishu Sunday but fighting was expected to resume in Kismayu by Monday or Tuesday.

Ethiopian troops had reached the town of Jibil on their way to Kismayu, a port which has been under the control of Mohamed Hirale, a warlord and a present Member of Parliament and a TFG loyalist.

Source: Xinhua