- The executive chairman of the Islamic Courts Council said on Monday that the movementÂ’s top priority has always been aimed at realizing peace and stability for the Somali nation.
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who is on a working visit to the United Arab Emirates, said the movement had no plans to launch a preemptive strike at Ethiopian troop positions in and around Baidoa.
“Somalia is the Somali people’s country and its not owned by Ethiopians. That doesn’t mean there will be attacks after the given [7 days] time period, but we have always urged Ethiopian troops to leave our country so that the existing conflicts can be resolved,” Sheikh Sharif said in Dubai.
His comments seem to backtrack on controversial comments made last week by Yusuf Indha Ade, the IslamistsÂ’ chief security official, who gave Ethiopian troops until Tuesday to withdraw from Somalia or face all-out war.
Warning
Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, the IslamistsÂ’ legislative head, warned Somali government soldiers against allying with Ethiopian troops if war were to break out.
“If we fight against Ethiopian troops and we capture Somali soldiers fighting on the Ethiopians’ side…those soldiers will be killed,” warned Aweys, who was a decorated colonel in the former Somali army.
Government and allied Ethiopian troops are positioned only miles from Islamist forces in Bay region, where the UN-backed interim Somali government is based.
