Ethiopia has one of the largest armies in Africa and has often clashed with Somalia. Ethiopian troops invaded Somalia in 2006 to oust an Islamist movement that then controlled much of the country. Sheikh Sharif was one of the movement's leaders, and after hiding from the Ethiopians, he fled Somalia. The Ethiopian troops remained for about two years, and their occupation was highly unpopular; thousands of civilians were killed when the troops indiscriminately shelled urban areas. Al-Shabab capitalised on the intense anti-Ethiopian feelings, and their ranks swelled.
Western and African Union officials say the Ethiopians are now eager to deal al-Shabab a crushing blow and to install their own proxies in Somalia, which could lead to even more power struggles and factional bloodshed. The Somali official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Sheikh Sharif was not happy with the prospect that Ethiopian troops would return, ''but he has no choice''.
----[Mailing List for Eritrea Related News ]---- Received on Fri Nov 18 2011 - 08:18:13 EST
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