Somalia alliance threatening war

"We warn Ethiopia to withdraw immediately"

Mogadishu, Somalia - Opposition leaders and Somali Islamists have joined together in a new alliance to overthrow Somalia's transitional government.

Opposition leaders and Somali Islamists have joined together in a new alliance to overthrow Somalia's transitional government.

More than 300 delegates, including Islamist leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, have approved a constitution and central committee.

A spokesman said the new movement will be called The Alliance for the Liberation of Somalia.

It aims to remove the Ethiopian-backed government by negotiation - or war.

"We have two-track options - first is the liberation of Somalia through military struggle, the second is through diplomatic efforts," said Zakariya Mahamud Abdi, spokesman for the Somali Congress.

The Alliance for the Liberation of Somalia (ALS) will have a 191-member central committee that will function as a parliament with a 10-person executive committee to be elected shortly.

The spokesman had a stark warning for Ethiopian troops, heavily deployed in Somalia since they rescued embattled transitional government forces last year.

"We warn Ethiopia to withdraw immediately. It is now or never and in a few weeks they will not have a route to withdraw," Abdi said.