From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Thu Jan 29 2009 - 10:20:58 EST
Somalia:Ethiopian military chief says mission to Somalia successfully
accomplished
29.01.2009
Chief of Staff Gen Samora Yunus has said the Ethiopian troops who were
deployed in Somalia had managed to further strengthen relations between the
two countries. Gen Samora said the Ethiopian troops had also thwarted a
security threat posed against our country, and engaged in activities that
would consolidate our relations with the Somali people.
It will be recalled that the Ethiopian troops entered Somalia two years ago
following a security threat posed against our country and at the request of
the Somali Transitional Federal Government [TFG].
Chief of Staff Gen Samora Yunus told the Ethiopian Radio and Television
Organization that when our troops entered Somalia, the mission they were
given from the Ethiopian people and government was clear.
[Gen Samora] The mission was to obliterate, in a short time, the ICU
[Islamic Court Union] which had declared blatant aggression on us. To
obliterate it and make it be ready for peace. On the other hand, it was to
create a conducive atmosphere for the TFG.
According to Gen Samora, our troops have crushed Somali terrorist groups to
the extent of not being able to regroup again. They had also been closely
working with the Somali people towards the prevalence of peace and stability
in Somalia.
Gen Samora said the cooperation the Ethiopian troops received from the
Somali people was very commendable and it would further cement relations
between the Ethiopian and the Somali peoples. He said the Ethiopian troops
had also given a series of training to the TFG's security forces.
[Gen Samora] We have also trained and organized thousands as soldiers and a
police force in order for them [TFG] to have their own defence and security
forces, and these are the ones who took over some places from us when we
finally withdrew.
Gen Samora said our troops had fully withdrawn from Somalia and returned to
their country after successfully accomplishing the national and continental
mission. He said the troops had also averted a security threat posed against
our country and cemented our relations with our Somali brothers, relations
based on mutual interest.