From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Feb 18 2009 - 07:41:55 EST
Somalia: Ethiopian troops re-enter Somalia again
18.02.2009
BAIDOA (mareeg)-More Ethiopian troops with more than 60 military trucks have
re-entered in Bakool region in south western Somalia, witnesses said on
Wednesday.
Ethiopia completely withdrew its troops from Somalia last month, but
Ethiopian troops re-entered in Hiiraan region in central Somalia where they
had pulled back to the border last week.
Ethiopia denied that its troops re-entered Somalia, but residents confirmed
the returning of the Ethiopian soldiers.
Locals in Rabdhuure and Yeed Villages in Bakool region said The Ethiopian
troops have captured some people from the villages today.
It is not known why the Ethiopian troops have returned to Somalia, but Meles
Zenawi, Ethiopian prime minister said on Friday that Somali president could
not give him guarantee that Somalia would not plunge into chaos.
Mr. Meles admitted Ethiopia paid a high price for its military intervention
in Somalia, both in terms of lives lost, as well as its battered
international image. Human rights groups accused Ethiopian soldiers of
repeated war crimes, and critics claimed the presence of foreign troops had
become a lightning rod for violence and a rallying point for extremist
forces.
Islamist insurgents control Baidoa, the former seat of the transitional
parliament, where the Ethiopian troops fled weeks ago after of two years of
unpopular occupation.
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