Ethiopian Troops Heading Towards Baidoa

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

More Ethiopian troops said in Somalia

20/08/2006 18:49

 

BAIDOA, Somalia (Reuters) - Residents said they saw more Ethiopian troops heading towards the provincial seat of Somalia’s interim government on Sunday in a move likely to raise tensions with rival Islamists.

 

Eleven trucks with about 300 heavily armed Ethiopian soldiers on board passed through the town of Awdiinle, about 30 km (19 miles) from Baidoa where the interim government is based, residents said.

 

"We have seen Ethiopian troops here in Awdiinle," Adam Abdi said.

 

"They are advancing towards Baidoa. We know these are Ethiopian troops because of their trucks and their uniforms."

 

Since July, witnesses have said Ethiopia has moved thousands of troops across the border to protect President Abdullahi Yusuf’s fragile government against Islamists who have seized Mogadishu and a large swathe of the south.

 

Ethiopia has repeatedly denied it has troops in Somalia.

 

The traditionally Christian country fears a hardline Muslim state on its doorstep and possible Islamist aspirations to claim its southeastern, ethnically Somali region of ******.

 

Addis Ababa has threatened to "crush" the Islamists if they try to expand into Ethiopia or attack Yusuf’s government, which has been dealt a blow with the defection of scores of militiamen in recent days to the Islamists.

 

The rise of the Islamists, who have vowed jihad against troops crossing from Ethiopia, has challenged the authority of Yusuf’s administration, formed in Kenya in 2004 in the 14th attempt at central rule since the 1991 ouster of a dictator.

 

Talks between both sides broke down last month and the issue of foreign troops to assist the government has raised tensions.

 

"NOT AN OCCUPATION FORCE"

 

Kenya’s deputy foreign affairs minister told reporters last week that the first east African troops would soon be deployed to Somalia. Regional military chiefs had met in Nairobi to discuss the plan.

 

The Islamists’ most powerful leader, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, who is on a U.N. list of al Qaeda associates, condemned this announcement, saying Kenya had "joined Somalia’s enemies."

 

Kenya’s ambassador to Somalia on Sunday rejected this, adding that the decision to deploy troops was made by east Africa regional body IGAD, not Kenya.

 

"We are not (an enemy) ... We are not sending in an occupation force, we are sending a peace force," ambassador Mohamed Affey told Reuters.

 

"I think it is unfortunate because Kenya is the only country that has come to the help of Somalis in the hour of need."

 

In another development, Somalia’s government said it had agreed to work with an Eritrean rebel group, renewing charges that Asmara was supporting the Islamists.

 

"The Eritrean government is playing the dangerous game of becoming a client government (for) forces intending to destabilise the region," Yusuf Mohamed Ismail, Somali envoy to the European Union, said in a joint statement with the Eritrean Liberation Front.

 

Various flights into Mogadishu have fuelled accusations from the government that the Islamists are receiving weapons from Eritrea in preparation for a possible military push against Baidoa. The Islamists and Eritrea both deny that.

 

Diplomats fear that Ethiopia and old foe Eritrea are using Somalia as a proxy battleground to antagonise each other.

 

(Additional reporting by Mohamed Ali Bile in Mogadishu, Jack Kimball and Marie-Louise Gumuchian in Nairobi)

[Castro]

Originally posted by Libaax-Sankataabte:

Diplomats fear that Ethiopia and old foe Eritrea are using Somalia as a proxy battleground to antagonise each other.

Who writes this nonsense anyway? Exactly how are these two antogonizing each other through Somalia? Is this journalism?

 

Ethiopians are already in Baidoa and the biggest loser will be Abdillahi Yusuf. Having shown his complete and utter incompetence as a statesman, he should return to wherever he came from and save the Somali people the blood that is soon (and sure) to be shed fighting the Ethiopians. Does he really think he'd be president of the Somali people using a foreign force? What an imbecile for the ages. Someone should end his miserable existence and send him to a not-so-early grave.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

Originally posted by Castro:

Exactly how are these two antogonizing each other through Somalia? Is this journalism?

Castro, ^^ this is what the world media (including Somali papers) is saying about the proxy war waged by Ethiopia/Eritrea in our country. These two arch foes are on each other’s throat, and Somalia is just what the doctor ordered.

 

Salaamat min kuli aafaat.

[Castro]

^ Uncle Yeey, as some lovingly call him ( ), is where the rubber meets the road in this proxy war. Can you spell r-o-a-d-k-i-l-l, good Libaax? LOL.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

^^ The old man is known to survive dangerous missions but, my man, this is probably the end for him. What a waste of opportunity to rule in peace.

[Wiilo]

LS i agree with you, yey have/had an opportunity to rule the country but could not capitalized, i think this is the end of his administration, boy, how did he missed this chance?....

 

 

Go figure:...........

[Som@li]

The events in the last couple of months were big changes for Somalia, which are better.

 

Now we have two forces oppossing each other, Allow kii roon reerka u reeb!

 

TFG in my eyes don't exist, they have wasted their time and chances, and should be kicked out of the country.

[raadamiir]

This President nerve had it easy and he is not having it easy at the moment.

 

Those that say he had a chance to rule Somalia peacefully may I asked when was that?

 

Things must be done forcfully from now on the President needs to show the little once who the real President is.

 

Those that fight against our only Somali Government deserve to die may they die in the thousands and may Allah give them hell after their deaths.

 

I want to go back home in my motherland but with out peace I ain't going now where.

 

Peace is needed more than anything at this moment.

 

We need one Power in Somalia not 2 or 3.

 

One President and one voice.

[raadamiir]

This President nerve had it easy and he is not having it easy at the moment.

 

Those that say he had a chance to rule Somalia peacefully may I asked when was that?

 

Things must be done forcfully from now on the President needs to show the little once who the real President is.

 

Those that fight against our only Somali Government deserve to die may they die in the thousands and may Allah give them hell after their deaths.

 

I want to go back home in my motherland but with out peace I ain't going now where.

 

Peace is needed more than anything at this moment.

 

We need one Power in Somalia not 2 or 3.

 

One President and one voice.