Deceptive, Ethiopian Military Maneuvers in Somalia
Jan 23, 2007
****** Online Special report
Reports reaching our service desk from two high-ranking members of the Ethiopian regime in Somalia who requested anonymity due to their positions and lack of authorization to speak to the media, confirm that recent pronouncements of Ethiopian military departures are a smokescreen.
The same sources add that two weeks ago, at the home of the head of the Ethiopian autocracy in the outskirts of Addis Ababa, a discussion about the best way to ‘legitimize’ Ethiopian military presence in Somalia took place.
One of the ideas discussed articulated the immediate need to change the perception held by the European Union, EU, and the Arab League, AL, about Ethiopia being an occupying force in Somalia.
United States, US, government put a request to both the EU and AL to bankroll the deployment of African troops in Somalia following the defeat of the Union of Islamic Courts, UIC. Both EU and AL are reportedly receptive to fund the African troop deployment provided Ethiopia pulls its troops out of Somalia.
The proponents of the best way to accomplish the perception change without actually having a single Ethiopian soldier leave the country, Somalia, suggested that publicized Ethiopian troop movements from one city to another is the way to go. The proponents emphasized the need to publicize the departure but not the destination of the Ethiopian troops since they will be going to another city within Somalia.
The two high-ranking officials who requested anonymity said that the Somali press, especially those in the big cities such as Mogadishu, was to be allowed to film the supposed departures of Ethiopian troops. ****** Online reporters in Somalia have reported that the movement of Ethiopian troops has already started.
Yesterday Ethiopian troops left completely the central regions without even informing the locals that they were leaving to avoid any road ambushes. Instead of crossing the border back to ******, the Ethiopian troops that left the middle regions were spotted late this morning at the outskirts of Jowhar heading to Mogadishu.
About the same time this morning, the Somali reporters in Mogadishu were called to witness a farewell ceremony for the departing Ethiopian troops stationed in Mogadishu. Our Mogadishu reporter who was present in today’s Mogadishu sendoff of the Ethiopian troops have confirmed that the Ethiopians who left Mogadishu are headed for the central regions.
The second phase of the deceptive military maneuvers is said to take place in the lower Jubba region. The troops there are scheduled to start pulling out of Kismayu before the end of the week. They are to be replaced by those now deployed in Bay region as confirmed by the troop redeployment plan shown to our reporters by the two high-ranking Ethiopian officials.
Ethiopian troop redeployments aside, the sources add that the Ethiopian chief of staff presented his worries of not having enough troops should there be sustained insurgency attacks as evidenced in Mogadishu recently. The head of the autocracy in Addis Ababa is reported to have brushed the chief of staff’s concerns.
--****** Online Staff