Ethiopia Pulling Troops from Mogadishu
Ethiopian troops have begun pulling out of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, after two years of backing the Somali government in its fight against Islamist insurgents.
Hundreds of residents have flocked to see the now-empty Ethiopian bases north of the city, some of them dancing and singing to celebrate the departure of the deeply unpopular Ethiopian forces.
At a handover ceremony at the presidential palace Tuesday, Somali Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein thanked the Ethiopian troops for their sacrifices.
Some Somali leaders say the pullout could create a security vacuum and endanger the government. But the U.N. envoy to Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, expressed hope that the withdrawal might convince some Islamist insurgents to stop fighting.
A moderate Islamist movement allied with the government says its forces have moved in to take control of the former Ethiopian bases.
Ethiopia has said it plans to bring home all its troops by the end of the week. The nation sent thousands of troops into Somalia in late 2006 to help the government defeat an Islamist movement that had seized control of the capital and other cities.
There were reports of continued fighting in Mogadishu Tuesday, and witnesses reported at least 11 dead in clashes on Monday between Islamist insurgents and Ethiopian-backed government forces.
On Monday, the United States circulated a draft U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a U.N. peacekeeping force in Somalia to help fill the void left by Ethiopia’s departure.
The draft would renew the mandate of African Union peacekeepers currently in Somalia, but eventually replace them with a stronger international force. The draft calls for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to develop a mandate for the new force by April 15, and for a council decision by June 1.
Battles between the government troops and the Islamist insurgents have killed thousands of Somalis and displaced more than a million others over the past two years.
The Islamists have seized control of many towns in recent weeks but appear split over the level of Islamic law that should be enforced. The hardline Al-Shabab group favors a strict form of Sharia that many Somalis oppose.
Leave your response!