The United Nations Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting to discuss the conflict in Somalia. The 15-nation council is due to meet Tuesday and hear a briefing from Francois Fall, who is Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special representative for Somalia.

Intense fighting has been going on for a week between Somalia's Islamist movement and Ethiopian troops who support the Somali interim government.

The International Red Cross said today the fighting has wounded or injured at least 800 people. Speaking to reporters today, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi gave higher casualty totals of 1,000 dead and more than 3,000 wounded. None of the figures have been independently confirmed.

Some information for this report provided by AF, AFP and Reuters.