Ethiopian plane bombs Mogadishu airport

"I have seen a jet dropping a bomb on the runway, everybody in the airport was scared when the explosion was heard," Mahad Alasaow, a Mogadishu airport employee, told AFP.

"I have seen an Ethiopian military plane firing a bomb at Baledogle airport," said Mohamed Ade Nur, a resident told AFP. Islamist officials confirmed the attacks, saying one person was wounded in Mogadishu.

Addis Ababa said it carried out the attacks to stop "unauthorised flights" some of which the Islamists were waiting for.

"Unauthorised flights have been forbidden by the TFG (Transition Federal Government), but some unauthorised flights were observed and that is why the bombardment took place," said Solomon Abebe, the foreign ministry spokesman.

Officials said Sunday Ethiopian troops were heading to Baledogle, from where Islamists received supplies.

The government in Baidoa, which is the only major town it controls, ordered the closure of Somali land, sea and air borders, but it remained unclear how that would be done.

As heavy artillery duels were reported near Baidoa, in the central south of the country, Islamists warned civilians to avoid potential targets of airstrikes.