Addis Ababa, (insidesomalia.org) - President of Somalia, Abdullahi Yusuf, arrived here in Addis Ababa today to take part in the IGAD Inter-Governmental Authority on Development member states meeting.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi welcomed Yusuf upon his arrival at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa as Shabelle reporter in Addis Ababa says.

The president is expected to discuss with senior government officials of Ethiopia on the current issues of Somalia.

Yusuf flew from Somali capital Mogadishu as armed Islamic fighters against the presence of the Ethiopian troops in Somalia and the politics of Somalia’s shaky government have attacked him on his way to the airport to take to the air to Addis Ababa on Thursday.

The Islamic fighters attacked the Mogadishu airport and the motorcade of Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf, for the third time in a month, as the president was to fly for Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, presidential spokesman confirmed to Shabelle radio.

"They (insurgent fighter) fired a number of mortars as the president was at the airport to leave for Addis Ababa to attend the Annual AU conference there," Mohamed Mohamoud Hubsired, presidential spokesman, told Shabelle.

"The president and his delegation were unharmed by the mortar shells and he flew safely," Hubsired added.

Witnesses also told Shabelle that the presidential motorcade was attacked before on its way to the Mogadishu airport but there are no reports of any casualty.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Somali president but insurgent fighters twice attacked the President's motorcade late last week as he was to fly to attend the now concluded UN sponsored peace talks between Somali government and one faction of the opposition Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia and when he returned home.

Usually Islamist fighters carry out attacks on the Mogadishu airport as Somali government or foreign officials depart or arrive in the restive coastal Somali capital Mogadishu.

The Somali transitional government and the opposition leaders signed a comprehensive cease-fire agreement Monday after weeks of indirect talks sponsored by the United Nations.

Members of the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia (ARS) and the Al-shabaab group rejected the results of the talks saying those who attended the meeting did not represent ARS and vowed to continue fighting the Somali and Ethiopian troops.