Ethiopia troops cross into Somalia, Jihad threatened.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:30 pm

Ethiopians want to save government; Islamists in control want them out

Thursday, July 20, 2006; Posted: 12:10 p.m. EDT (16:10 GMT)
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Residents reported hundreds of Ethiopian troops in armored vehicles patrolling the central Somali town of Baidoa on Thursday, less than a day after Islamic militants reached the outskirts of the strategic town that is home to a largely powerless U.N.-backed government.

A leader of the Islamic group controlling large parts of southern Somalia demanded that Ethiopian troops withdraw.

"We will declare Jihad if the Ethiopian government refuses to withdraw their troops from Somalia. They must withdraw as soon as possible ... We will wait for some time to see if they respect our demands," Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed told The Associated Press.

A spokesman for the Ethiopian government had said that his country would protect Somalia's transitional government from attack by the Somali Islamic militias.

Witnesses told AP that Ethiopian soldiers arrived Thursday afternoon in Baidoa, the only town held by the government, 240 kilometers (150 miles) northwest of Mogadishu and about 150 kilometers (100 miles) east of the Ethiopian border.

The Ethiopians, wearing their national military uniform, smiled and waved to residents as they drove into Baidoa. Some were deployed at the airport outside the town and others drove into a fenced compound near the transitional president's home in Baidoa. Somali militiamen prevented residents from approaching the area, residents said.

The Ethiopian troops have set up a camp near the transitional president's home in Baidoa, residents said.

"People were prevented from walking on the road that leads to the building," one resident said on the condition of anonymity because of fears of reprisals.

Ethiopian and government officials were not immediately available for comment.

But late Wednesday Ethiopia's Minister of Information, Berhan Hailu, told The Associated Press that his government would intervene to prop up Somalia's transitional government, which has no effective military of its own and only controls the town of Baidoa.

"We have the responsibility to defend the border and the Somali government. We will crush them," Berhan said.

Somalia invaded Ethiopia in 1978 in an attempt to grab land occupied by ethnic Somalis.

Since then, Ethiopia has attempted to influence Somali politics to prevent another invasion. Ethiopia sent troops into Somalia in 1993 and 1996 to crush Islamic militants attempting to establish a religious government.

Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is allied with Ethiopia and has asked for its support. Hundreds of Ethiopian troops have been spotted along the countries' border in recent weeks -- which the Islamic militia has repeatedly denounced.

If anyone had any hopes for world peace or even a twisted version there of, bury it now. Seems the red horse is gonna be running hard for the next couple of months if not the next couple of years.

Destructionator XV · Post by **Destructionator XV** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:00 pm

So Ethiopia, allies of the Somali government are assisting the government defend their own country... from themselves, and these people in that country demand war? What the hell is wrong with the world?

Makes me really, really glad to live in the United States.

Question: how well armed is the Ethiopian military? All I ever hear about Ethiopia is that there are many, many starving children over there. Do they have the economy to support a military that can win a war, or will they be pretty dependent on the UN bailing them out?

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:06 pm

Ethopia has a metric fuckton of Soviet gear and US training from the Cold War. US troops still stop by to train them as they are the single nation in North Africa most against terrorism or other anti-american forces. While they're not up to Egypt's level (hey they get annual checks from Uncle Sam and free toys not to fuck with Isreal) They could take Sudan or any other local power.

They have an army that on a good day can imatate a Western army. Solmalia has a bunch of tribal fighters. The courts are going to be banking on outside aide from Arab nations or other Islamic powers. They could get it to, Ethopia is a majority Christian nation, narrowly anyways.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 11:21 pm

Ladies and Gents, welcome to WWIII

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 11:24 pm

Some time yet before that I would say.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:24 am

Bloodshed in regions where bloodshed is common is tragic, not WWIII.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:26 am

Ethiopia is allied with Puntland, the breakaway unrecognized republic that occupies the middle third of Somalia (the northern third is the breakaway unrecognized republic of Somaliland). Puntland had been understandably worried about the Islamist courts being recognized as the "legitimate" government of Somalia and the possibility of invasion by the Islamists or being forced to accept the courts as law.

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:09 am

wait... who in the right mind recognized an islamic court as a legitimate government? Please tell me it wasnt the UN...

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:23 pm

They haven't yet, they're worried about it being recogized Maya said.

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:15 pm

Ah, I misread

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:32 pm

Comrade Tortoise wrote:Ah, I misread

Actually, I should apologize, as that was a badly written post of mine.

Of course, there is always the problem of people who aren't in their right mind...

LibriumArcana.Games

Ethiopia troops cross into Somalia, Jihad threatened.

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