Anti-Ethiopian protests erupt in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Jan 6 (Reuters) Hundreds of Somalis burned tyres and threw stones on Saturday in protest at the presence of Ethiopian troops in Mogadishu, a week after the forces helped the interim government drive out Islamists, witnesses said.

A Reuters witness saw Ethiopian soldiers shoot in the air to disperse the crowd. One resident said the crowd burned tyres near stalls sellings jars of fuel in a central K4 area of the capital.

''All the businesses (near K4) are closed. People are busy defending their businesses,'' resident Abdi Nur said.

Heavily-armed Ethiopian forces helped the Somali government drive out the Islamists from Mogadishu a week ago, breaking free from its provincial outpost Baidoa to end six months of Islamist rule across much of southern Somalia.

The protest comes just days after an ambush killed at least one Ethiopian soldier in south Somalia and a hand grenade was thrown at Ethiopian troops in Mogadishu.

Reuters SP GC1320