Ethiopia Denies Planning Immediate Pullout From Somalia
Gabe Joselow
April 25, 2013
NAIROBI, KENYA - Ethiopia's foreign ministry has denied there are plans to
immediately withdraw all troops from Somalia, despite remarks by the
Ethiopian prime minister expressing frustration with the pace of military
progress in the country.
Speaking to parliament Tuesday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam
Desalegn said the African Union force in Somalia has not kept its promise to
replace Ethiopian soldiers in parts of the country under AU control.
Ethiopian forces entered Somalia two years ago to assist the AU force, known
as AMISOM, in its fight against al-Shabab militants. The Ethiopians have
enjoyed success securing towns and cities in western Somalia.
But Hailemariam said the failure of AMISOM to replace Ethiopian troops
influenced a decision in March to pull out of the town of Hudur, which was
then retaken by al-Shabab.
In a statement Wednesday, the foreign ministry clarified the prime
minister's remarks, saying Ethiopia was "anxious to pull its forces out of
Somalia" as soon as the Somali army and AMISOM take over from Ethiopian
forces.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Dina Mufti told VOA Ethiopian forces are not
planning to immediately pull out of the country.
"[The prime minister] said, Ethiopian defense force has to be transferred to
those areas where there is need for more stability. He has never said we
are going to withdraw," he said.
The prime minister noted that Ethiopia bears the cost of its military
operation in Somalia alone, as Ethiopian forces are operating independent of
AMISOM.
He said Ethiopia's main focus should be "to accelerate our complete
withdrawal towards our border."
AMISOM spokesman Eloi Yao told VOA the peacekeeping force has not received
any formal statement from Ethiopia regarding conditions for withdrawing
forces.
He said in the event of a sudden pullback, the military commanders on the
ground would work with the Somali government to decide a way forward.
"As you know, in military operations, plans are made and those plans can
always be adjusted according to situations," said Yao.
Hailemariam's remarks come ahead of a Somalia conference in London next
month, aimed at coordinating development efforts for the country as it
recovers from two decades of civil war.
