November14, 2006: A UN report asserts that the Islamic Courts have been receiving money and weapons from several Moslem countries, including Syria, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Egypt, Eritrea, Djibouti and Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the core of the Islamic Courts fighting force consists of about a thousand Islamic militants, many of them Al Qaeda members. These gunmen are often Somalis who had gone off to fight for Islamic terrorism in other countries. But now that the Islamic Courts has plenty of cash, they were able to hire these experienced fighters, and get them to return to Somalia. The Transitional Government has obtained support from neighboring Ethiopia. This caused Ethiopia's enemy, and neighbor, Eritrea, to offer support to the Islamic Courts. Most of this is in the form of air transportation, to fly in weapons and ammunition.

November 13, 2006: Another central Somalia town, Galkayo, is being threatened by a force of Islamic Courts gunmen. Some 300 Ethiopian troops have reinforced Galkayo, which is held by gunmen loyal to a Transitional Government warlord.

November 12, 2006: Islamic Courts forces advanced again, and seized another town, Bandiradley, from gunmen loyal to the Transitional Government. About ten people were killed in the fighting. The Islamic Courts announced that they were moving into Puntland (an independent part of Somalia) as well.