Ethiopia says it has won half the battle in Somalia

Ethiopia has finished about half its mission in attacking the Islamicmilitia trying to take overSomalia,Ethiopia'sprime ministersaid Tuesday —only three days after launching the first strikes in the neighbouring country.

'About half of our mission is done, and the rest shouldn't take long.' - Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi

On Sunday, theEthiopian government openly admitted for the first time that it has troops in Somalia (even though witnesses had reported seeing them there for several weeks)and declared itself to be at war with the Islamic movement that has been trying to oustSomalia's internationally recognized government.

Ethiopia alsobegan launching its first air strikes in the neighbouring country on Sunday, first against border towns and then on the militant-controlled capital, Mogadishu, and an airport elsewhere.

Yet Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said that by Tuesday, Ethiopia had already forced the retreat of the Islamic militants, whichhave seized control of much of southern Somalia since the summer.

3,000 militants wounded, Ethiopia claimed

Ethiopia and the Somali government, based about 200 kilometres northwest of Mogadishu in Baidoa, have teamed up to fightthe Council of Islamic Courts, which wants to establish rule byIslamic law.

Their combined forceswerereportedly heading for a town only 90 kilometres from Mogadishu on Tuesday.

"As soon as we have accomplished our mission— and about half of our mission is done, and the rest shouldn't take long — we'll be out,"Meles told reporters in Addis Ababa.

He has said his aim is to damage the Islamic movement's military ability so it and the government can begin peace talks.

Melessaidhe had reports that the Islamic militants hadsuffered nearly 3,000 wounded and "well over 1,000 might have died."

Independent observers do not have access to the fighting to confirm casualty reports.

Ethiopia, a largely Christian country,has been supporting the United Nations-backed government .

Muslim leader rejects peace talks

The Islamic fighters were told to withdraw, said Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, the leader of the Council of Islamic Courts.

'The war is entering a new phase. We will fight Ethiopia for a long, long time and we expect the war to go everyplace.' -Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, the leader of the Council of Islamic Courts

"The war is entering a new phase," he said. "We will fight Ethiopia for a long, long time and we expect the war to go everyplace."

He also rejected starting peace talks. The African Union, Arab League and other groups are expected to push for talks at a meeting set for Wednesday.

The UN Security Council was to be briefed on the situation as well.

Somalia has beenplagued byviolence since 1991, when warlords overthrew a dictator. In the summer, theIslamic militia seized Mogadishu and much of southern Somalia.