By Mohamed Abdi Farah

(SomaliNet) A heavy explosion has occurred inside one of the compounds housing the Ethiopian [Woyanne] forces in northern suburb of Somalia capital Mogadishu on Monday – there is immediate casualty on the blast.

Witnesses told Somalinet that the explosion rocked the Ethiopian base in El-Irfid area in north of the capital but it is not yet clear what caused it. Residents near the compound believe that explosives went off inside the campus.

Some reports say that a bomb has been thrown into the base where hundreds of Ethiopian forces are stationing to protect the interim government against armed oppositions.

The Ethiopian forces have been facing attacks by the insurgents since their arrival in the capital late December 2006. The Ethiopians helped the interim government to oust the Islamic Courts in two weeks.

Earlier, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi reiterated that he is pulling his troops out of Somalia in three phases. Some of the Ethiopian forces have already withdrew from the country.