Ethiopian troops cross into two Somali towns: locals

Ethiopian troops in armoured vehicles crossed into two border towns in south central Somalia and seized the family of a man with links to al Shabaab insurgents, residents said on Sunday.
They said troops went to El Barde and Yeed on Saturday seeking the man. Washington says al Shabaab is al Qaeda's proxy in the region and which has declared loyalty to al Qaeda.
"Ethiopian troops entered El Barde yesterday and arrested several people today. They were onboard armoured vehicles and were searching for a well-known local man who also works with al Shabaab," a town resident, Hussein Ronow, told Reuters. "The man escaped, but they took with them his wife and three children."