Ethiopian PM does not rule out Somalia pullout
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi,
has not ruled out pulling his troops from
Somalia. Zenawi has warned that
Ethiopia would not hesitate to come
back to crush hardline Islamists.
17 October, 2008
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Thursday did not rule out pulling his troops from Somalia but warned his country would not hesitate to come back to crush hardline Islamists.
"We have had several negotiations with all stakeholders and we will review our position in the coming months," he told parliament.
"If the Somali political scenario improves and its stakeholders assure us of their commitment, we will remain to help them out. Otherwise we will leave as no other option will be available," Meles said.
Ethiopia, the United States' main regional ally, invaded Somalia in 2006 to oust the Islamic Courts Union, which had taken control of most of the country, and bolster an embattled Western-backed transitional government.
The Islamists were quickly defeated by Ethiopia's superior military machine but the movement's armed wing, Al-Shebab, soon split from the largely exiled political leadership and engaged in a bruising guerrilla war.
The rivalry between Muslim Somalia and the conservative Christian regime in Addis Ababa is deeply entrenched and many in Somalia see the departure of Ethiopian troops as a precondition to peace negotiations.
However Meles warned that, even after a withdrawal, he would send his army back into Somalia should the Shebab threaten to take power.
"Whenever there's a threat posed, we will come back to break their backs." he said. "Any government is preferable to the Shebab. It's in the interest of Ethiopia and the Somali people to prevent them from coming to power."
"The coming few months will indicate where we'll be heading regarding Somalia," Meles added.
There is no official number for Ethiopia's troop presence in Somalia but their contingent is believed to have been scaled down recently and currently limited to around 5,000 in Mogadishu and several thousands more confined to a few strategic areas elsewhere in the country.