BiLaaL Posted February 26, 2007 Shabelle Media Network February 25, 2007 Aweys Osman Yusuf Mogadishu Hundreds of Somalis were ordered to vacate former government buildings in Afgoi, 30 km south of the capital on Sunday as more than 3,500 fresh Ethiopian soldiers are due to occupy the buildings. Witnesses said thousands of Ethiopian troops accompanied by armed military vehicles and tanks have arrived in Afgoi. The troops would be based in former government military compounds, universities and office buildings where currently thousands of IDPs are dwelling in. Sources close to the government say the troops would secure peace in Lower Shabelle province, southern Somalia where Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf would inhabit temporarily. The arrival of the Ethiopian troops coincided with the largest number of people in the district who fled the volatile city Mogadishu. The roads of Mogadishu are thronged daily by families with some of their households fleeing to nearby areas like Afgoi where there is no insurgency currently. Fadumo Hassan, a mother of 8 children, complained after she fled the capital and reached Afgoi last week. "I do not have money to buy milk or food for my children. We have fled Wabari district in Mogadishu. My husband is unemployed and I am staying helplessly here in Afgoi while fleeing the deadly mortars. I really don't know what to do," she said. The exodus in the Somali capital has intensified after the worst and deadliest artillery and mortar bombs were exchanged between unknown gunmen and Ethiopian troops based on top hills of Mogadishu presidential palace (Villa Somalia), former Defense Ministry and other former government compounds in and on the edges of the capital Mogadishu on Friday. Despite no mortar explosions in the capital in the past two days, people were still fleeing fearing carnages might occur in Mogadishu. Ciidamo Itoobiyaan ah oo hor leh oo soo degay Degmada Afgooye Degmada Afgooye oo noqotay Goobtii labaad oo si toos ah ay ula wareegaan Tikreega Dalka kusoo duulay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
