SOMALIA:The Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi, said last night that the United States had struck only once in Somalia and denied reports that civilians had been killed in the air attack.
"There was only one strike. That strike was against what they called the target of opportunity," Mr Meles told a news conference in Addis Ababa, referring to al-Qaeda suspects thought to be in Somalia. "I believe they did not miss the target."
Mr Meles said the strike had killed eight militants and five others were captured. He could not confirm rumours that specific al-Qaeda members had been killed.
"The remains will be transported for tests and until this is done, I cannot confirm."
Somali government sources have said there have been further air strikes in Somalia, but US officials said no such attacks had been carried out since Monday.
Somali officials said many people died in Monday's strike, the first overt US military action in Somalia since a disastrous humanitarian mission ended in 1994.
This claim was backed earlier yesterday by the Arab League which said the raids left "many innocent victims".
"Our troops went to the area . . . and they have assured me that no civilians were killed," Mr Meles said.
US officials said Monday's strike targeted an al-Qaeda cell that includes suspects in the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2002 attack on an Israeli-owned Kenyan hotel.