U.S. forces are deployed near Somalia to block the escape of members of the country's ousted Islamic Courts, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing on Wednesday.

"We would be concerned that no leaders who were members of the Islamic Courts which have ties to terrorist organizations including al-Qaeda are allowed to flee and leave Somalia," McCormack said.

"We of course have a presence off the coast of Somalia and Horn of Africa to make sure there are no escape routes by sea where these individuals could flee," McCormack said.

After a six-month control of Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, the Islamic Courts had to desert their last stronghold on Monday after two weeks of war against Somali government. The Somali government has been backed by Ethiopia and the United States has voiced support for Ethiopian military presence in Somalia.

Source: Xinhua