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MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - Hundreds of Ethiopian troops were patrolling a strategic road that leads to Somalia's government headquarters after a brief but intense firefight in the area this week, witnesses said Wednesday.
Ethiopia has vowed to protect Somalia's weak government against the country's increasingly powerful Islamic militia, although it denies sending troops here. On Tuesday, however, witnesses and the Islamic group said three Ethiopian troops were killed in a clash with Islamist fighters.
"At least 200 Ethiopian troops are carefully patrolling the road," said Yusuf Kheyre, a resident of Bardale district about 40 miles southwest of the southern town of Baidoa where the government is based.
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