Peacekeepers for Somalia approved

East African governments have agreed to send 6,800 peacekeeping troops to Somalia from Uganda and Sudan, rather than from bordering countries.

The Ugandan foreign Minister said the decision was made out of respect for the sensitivities of the Somalis.

Somali warlords have said they will attack troops from neighbouring states - especially from rival Ethiopia - if they form part of a peacekeeping force.

Somalia's president was willing to accept troops from neighbouring states.

But a brawl broke out in the Somali parliament - sitting in the Kenyan capital Nairobi - after legislators voted against the President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed's call to deploy peacekeepers from Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.

Somalia's government and parliament are currently based in Kenya because the Somali capital, Mogadishu, is considered too dangerous.

The president wanted troops to help with the relocation of the administration from Kenya.

Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Ghedi said the parliamentary vote was flawed and should be held again.

Members of the East African regional body, Igad - who has been holding talks to try to end the row - said Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia would only help with logistics and training.

Igad also said Sudanese and Ugandan troops would be followed by troops from the African Union, but did not give dates for the deployments.