From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Tue Sep 01 2009 - 05:27:40 EDT
As Ethiopia withdraws, Hiran governor quits Somalia govt
01/01/2009
BELETWEIN, Somalia Aug 31 (Garowe Online) - Ethiopian troops withdrew from
parts of central Somalia Monday, as the governor of Hiran region said his
regional administration is no longer part of Somalia's Transitional Federal
Government (TFG), Radio Garowe reports.
Hundreds of Ethiopian soldiers retreated from bases around the key town of
Beletwein, the provincial capital of Hiran region, with more than 20
military trucks driving west towards the Somalia-Ethiopia international
border, witnesses said.
However, unconfirmed reports said some Ethiopian army units based around
Janta Kundisho camp in the outskirts of Beletwein had not withdrawn yet.
Ethiopian troops advanced on Beletwein town over the weekend to assist
Somali government forces retake full control of the town from insurgents,
who controlled the town's western neighborhoods.
There were reports of looting during Saturday's takeover, with local sources
reporting that Somali soldiers had looted businesses in the western part of
Beletwein.
It is not clear why Ethiopian troops withdrew, but Addis Ababa has
repeatedly denied the presence of its forces on Somali soil.
'Quit'
Sheikh Abdirahman Ibrahim Ma'ow, the Islamist governor of Hiran region, told
a Monday press conference in Beletwein that his regional administration has
withdrawn its support for the TFG in Mogadishu.
Sheikh Ma'ow said the TFG is "weak" and has "failed to implement Shari'ah
law" across the war-torn Horn of Africa country. The UN-recognized TFG
controls pockets of Mogadishu with the backing of a 5,000-strong African
Union peacekeeping force, known as AMISOM.
Appealing to armed factions in Somalia and neighboring countries, he said:
"Hiran region is not prepared for war. We are here to defend the interests
of Hiran [region]."
He was asked about the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces, saying: "We do not
support the presence of Ethiopian troops."
Sheikh Ma'ow said he "welcomes" efforts to establish a regional
administration for Hiran and called for such efforts to be "sped up."
He sent an apology and condolences to families whose businesses were looted
in Beletwein's western neighborhoods, which had been the stronghold for
Somali insurgents in recent weeks.
Sheikh Ma'ow was part of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) militia that fought
against Ethiopian troops during Ethiopia's two-year military intervention in
south-central Somalia that ended in early 2009.
Hiran region has been wracked by violence among ICU rivals in recent months,
especially among the pro-TFG factions and the hardliners, led by Al Shabaab.
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