Somali govt urges Kenya to shut border to Islamists

MOGADISHU, Jan 1 (Reuters) The Somali government asked neighbouring Kenya today to close its borders to fleeing Islamists and arrest any who crossed over.

''We request the Kenyan government to close its border since the remnants of the defeated Islamic Courts led by (Sheikh) Hassan Dahir Aweys are heading towards the Kenyan border,'' government spokesman Abirahman Dinari said.

''If they sneak into Kenya, we urge the Kenyan government to arrest them and hand them over.'' The Islamists fled overnight from their final stronghold around the southern port town of Kismayu, in the face of an Ethiopian-government onslaught, and headed further south towards the border with Kenya.

Kenya is known to have reinforced its border, but it is a long and porous frontier including desolate tracks of land where local nomads cross easily.

In Nairobi, officials were cautious in their response to the dramatic overnight events in Somalia.

''We are watching the position. Kenya's position on this is quite clear, we are taking a non-partisan position at the moment,'' assistant foreign minister Kembi Gitura told Reuters.

''There is a government in Somalia.'' REUTERS MS PM1548