Jabhad Posted December 27, 2006 Ethiopia urged to leave Somalia The transitional government says it is forcing the militia to retreat The African Union has called on Ethiopia to withdraw thousands of troops from Somalia immediately. The call, supported by the Arab League and the east African grouping IGAD, comes after Ethiopia intervened to support Somalia's interim government. In recent days, Ethiopian and Somali government forces have captured ground previously held by Islamic militias. They are reported to be 30km (19 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu, after seizing the towns of Jowhar and Balad. The Somali Prime Minister, Ali Mohammed Gedi told the BBC the people of Mogadishu would welcome his troops with flowers when they arrived in Mogadishu, and said the Ethiopian troops would be sent home as soon as the government controlled the whole country. But after a meeting at AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, the AU Commission chairman Alpha Oumar Konare said the AU, Arab League and IGAD wanted to see Ethiopian troops withdraw without delay. "We appeal for urgent support for the transitional government and the withdrawal of all troops and foreign elements," he said. Our troops will surround Mogadishu until the Islamists surrender Ambassador Abdikarin Farah Violence alarms press US keeps a close watch The African Union is powerless when it comes to forcing the issue but it is unprecedented for the organisation to be so critical of its host nation Ethiopia, reports the BBC's Amber Henshaw in Addis Ababa. On Tuesday, the AU said Ethiopia had the right to intervene militarily in Somalia as it felt threatened by the Islamic militia operating there. The Somali ambassador to Ethiopia, Abdikarin Farah, said it was up to the Somali and Ethiopian governments to decide when the troops would leave. He suggested Somali soldiers, who are currently supported by Ethiopian armour and thousands of Ethiopian troops, would continue their advance towards Mogadishu. "We are not going to fight for Mogadishu, to avoid civilian casualties. Our troops will surround Mogadishu until they (the Islamists) surrender," the ambassador said, quoted by Reuters news agency. At the weekend Ethiopia began a major offensive against militia loyal to the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), which held much of central and southern Somalia. Jowhar, 90km (56 miles) north of Mogadishu, is a former UIC stronghold, and its loss leaves the Islamists with control of little more than the coast, including Mogadishu and the southern port city of Kismayo. The UIC's two most senior military commanders - the defence chief, Yusuf Indade, and his deputy, Abu Mansur - are currently both on the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. Humanitarian concerns Both sides say they have inflicted hundreds of casualties. The Red Cross has reported more than 850 injured people at hospitals it supports. The UN's World Food Programme has suspended air drops into southern Somalia because of the fighting, but the Red Cross says it has been able to continue its cargo flights to its partners in Somalia. Agencies are having difficulty reaching people affected by months of drought, which has now been followed by flooding The UN High Commissioner for Refugees says it is concerned that many people may be fleeing the fighting, and is preparing to receive them in camps along the Kenyan border. HAVE YOUR SAY It is shameful that the African Union has supported the aggression of Ethiopia against Somalia Victor Hamutenya, Windhoek Send us your comments The UN Security Council, which has been debating the Somalia conflict, is due to resume discussions in New York. Splits have emerged on the council, with Qatar insisting that any statement should call for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces, including Ethiopia's, from Somalia. Other council members say that this should not apply to Ethiopian troops, arguing that they are in Somalia at the request of the interim government. The UIC - which seized control of the capital six months ago - has introduced law and order to the capital and much of southern Somalia for the first time in 16 years. But other countries accuse the UIC of links to al-Qaeda, charges it denies. Somalia and Ethiopia - a mainly Christian nation - have a history of troubled relations, and Islamists have long called for a holy war against Ethiopian troops in Baidoa. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jabhad Posted December 27, 2006 Former US Ambassador Questions Ethiopian Military Strategy in Somalia By Joe De Capua Washington 27 December 2006 De Capua interview with David Shinn mp3 De Capua interview with David Shinn ra As Ethiopia continues its military advances in Somalia, observers are debating the wisdom of the strategy. For an analysis, VOA English to Africa Service reporter Joe De Capua spoke with Dr. David Shinn of George Washington University, a former US ambassador to Ethiopia. Dr. Shinn gives his short-term and long-term views of the situation. He says he thinks Ethiopian forces may try to encircle the capital, Mogadishu. “I strongly doubt they have any desire to go into Mogadishu and repeat the problems that earlier peacekeeping forces have had in a major, highly confined urban area. But perhaps just sit outside Mogadishu and try to in effect strangle the (Islamic) courts. What I’m perplexed at though is how this accomplishes that unless you’re there a very, very long time,” Shinn says. As for the long term, the former ambassador says, “If you stay there, you open yourself to guerilla attack. And if you leave I guess you’re assuming that you reinstall those Somali elements, including the warlords, who were there before.” Asked whether Ethiopia would prefer the clan leaders to the Islamic Courts, Shinn says, “I think from the standpoint of the Ethiopians they would probably answer that yes. At a minimum, that would put it back to a status quo situation, where no single entity is in charge. And I think they would see that as preferable to a unified Islamic Court structure, some of whom have espoused irredentist claims on Ethiopia. The warlords never did that.” He says while that might benefit Ethiopia, it could have a negative effect on Somalia. “If you look at it from the standpoint of what is best for Somali security, putting aside Islamic Court ideology, then what the courts had installed in terms of security, at least in the greater Mogadishu area, I think most Somalis would say it’s far preferable. albeit disagreeing with some of the extreme positions of some of the courts,” he says. He says some elements of the courts have done ”some outrageous things that I think were not popular with most Somalis. But they did establish security. And that was the overriding concern of Somalis.” Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peacenow Posted December 27, 2006 SomaliResistance you are doing a good job. I hate the ICU but i dont want us to be defeated either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jabhad Posted December 27, 2006 Asked whether Ethiopia would prefer the clan leaders to the Islamic Courts, Shinn says, “I think from the standpoint of the Ethiopians they would probably answer that yes. At a minimum, that would put it back to a status quo situation, where no single entity is in charge. And I think they would see that as preferable to a unified Islamic Court structure, some of whom have espoused irredentist claims on Ethiopia. The warlords never did that.” Better to have warlords, clan fiefdoms than a unified Somalia, good reasons for the iligal invasion if you are Meles and his masters USA. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jabhad Posted December 27, 2006 "SomaliResistance you are doing a good job. I hate the ICU but i dont want us to be defeated either." Atleast you did not allow our outside enemies to use your homebase as staging ground to bomb and shell your fellow brothers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
General Duke Posted December 27, 2006 ^^^I commend you, also brother. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
