Up to 1,000 Islamists dead in Ethiopia offensive-Meles

ADDIS ABABA, Dec 26 (Reuters) Somalia's Islamists are in full retreat after Ethiopian air strikes and a ground offensive that killed up to 1,000 of the movement's fighters, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said today.

''A joint Somali government and Ethiopian force has broken the back of the international terrorist forces ... These forces are in full retreat,'' Meles told reporters in Addis Ababa, adding that up to 1,000 Islamist fighters had been killed.

REUTERS MS RAI1859