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Refuges Escaping Somalia my have Drowned on their way to Yemen

4 boats filled with 515 refugees were detected by Yemen`s coastguard, last week, a gun battle began between the Yemenite authorities and the smugglers, and two boats, who were trying to escape, flipped over. Search teams began searching for survivors off Yemen`s coast. The Yemenite authorities announced that all 17 smugglers were arrested. A refugee agency transferred the 375 refugees, who arrived to Yemen, to a to a refugee camp were they were given food and water.

In the past few years, thousands of Africans have been flocking to Europe and the Arabian Peninsula, on questionable boats trying to make their way across the Mediterranean near the Cannery Islands or the Gulf of Eden. In many cases they drown due to stormy weather or simply find themselves without food, water of fuel, after being abandoned by smugglers weary of being captured by officials. The heavy battles taking place in Somalia for over a week, have prompted many Somalis to flee

The battles in Somalia between Islamic militias and the UN and Ethiopia backed transition government for the domination of Somalia, which has been without a stable government wince 1991, has already caused many casualties, as well as, refugees. The government forces have recently taken the country`s capitol Mogadishu with little opposition, after the Islamic militias in the city abandoned their posts. The United Nations in attempt to end the civil war tearing Somalia for years has appointed a transition government, but this government has been having a difficult time taking control of the country. Now, with the support of the Ethiopian military, it seems that the government will at last be able to extend its rule on the entire country.