US forces attack Somalia

American Navy warship off the coast of Somalia's Northern Province of Puntland reportedly struck suspected Somalia Mujahiddin operatives believed to be hiding in the mountains near Baar-gaal settlement in the semiautonomous region, according to the provincial puppet officials.

US especial envoy for Somalia, John Yates, revealed, in an exclusive interview with Shabelle, that the US officials "believe al-Qaeda linked groups have still been active in the country".

Residents in Baar-gaal said they could see a US Navy destroyer off the shore on Friday while targeting the concaved mountains in the area which has become a stronghold for groups of Mujahiddins, according Puntland puppet administration.

Residents have recently reported that they saw speed boats carrying heavily armed men from southern side of the country. Soon the local puppet militias and arrivers clashed as the Islamic force and went into the mountains in the area, residents said.

Meanwhile several puppet "government" officials have been slain in the past days by force of the Islamic Courts.

Meanwhile CNN International, quoting a Pentagon official, also reported the US warship's involvement. A Pentagon spokesman told The Associated Press he had no information about the incident.

The US launched air strikes in Somalia in January targeting three alleged al-Qaeda members but killing their allies instead, US officials have said.

Mohamed Abdulrahman Banga, so call "Puntland's minister of information", told the AP news agency that the armed members of the Islamic Courts Union arrived in two fishing boats from southern Somalia, which they controlled for six months last year before being routed by Ethiopian occupation troops sent to prop up a faltering so call "interim government".

"They had their own small boats and guns. We do not know exactly where they came from - maybe from Ras Kamboni, where they were cornered in January," he said.