Ethiopian Troops Stoned!!!!
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:43 am
Somali forces seize capital
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Interim parliament plans martial law after Islamic militia flees Mogadishu
December 29, 2006
Mohamed Olad Hassan
Associated Press
MOGADISHU–Jubilant Somalis cheered as troops of the UN-backed interim government rolled into Mogadishu unopposed yesterday, putting an end to six months of domination of the capital by a radical Islamic movement.
Ethiopian soldiers stopped on the outskirts of town, after providing much of the military might in the offensive that shattered what had seemed an unbeatable Islamic militia. Islamic fighters fled south vowing to continue the battle.
"We are in Mogadishu," Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi declared after meeting with local clan leaders to discuss the peaceful hand-over of the city.
Gedi later told reporters that Somalia's parliament would declare martial law tomorrow for a period of three months.
"This country has experienced anarchy and in order to restore security we need a strong hand, especially with freelance militias," he said after travelling 40 kilometres southwest to his home village of Mundul Sharey for the first time since 2002.
Despite celebrations in the streets, worries about the future were widespread in a country that hasn't had an effective national government since clan warlords toppled a longtime dictator 15 years ago.
Many in overwhelmingly Muslim Somalia are suspicious of the transitional government's reliance on neighbouring Ethiopia, a traditional rival with a large Christian population and one of East Africa's biggest armies. Crowds threw stones at Ethiopian troops on the city's northern edge.
Somalia's complex clan politics also are a big worry, having undone at least 14 attempts to install a central government.
Gedi's government, set up in 2004 with UN backing, is riddled with clan rivalries, most notably between the young prime minister and elderly president.
"The future of Somalia is very bleak and Somalis will share the same fate with Iraq and Afghanistan," said Mogadishu resident Abdullahi Mohamed Laki.
"The transitional government has no broad support in the capital.''
Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf, whose shaky acting administration has spent the last year in a temporary capital, Baidoa, some 240 kilometres west of Mogadishu, said government troops are not a threat to the city's people.
"The government is committed to solving every problem that may face Somalia through dialogue and peaceful ways," he said in a statement.
A chilling reminder of the chaos Somalia has known came as militiamen and criminal groups began looting almost anything they could after the Islamic forces fled. At least four people were killed in the melee, said one witness, Abdullahi Adow.
Some Islamic fighters ditched their uniforms to avoid reprisals before fleeing the capital.
"We have been defeated. I have removed my uniform. Most of my comrades have also changed into civilian clothes," one former fighter said.
The United Nations flew out 14 aid workers and said it was gearing up to speed emergency aid to Somalis driven from their homes by war after the interim government approved the immediate resumption of humanitarian flights.
Ethiopian troops, who pledged not to enter the capital, were stoned by crowds on the northern edge of the city, witnesses said.
"How could we welcome an invading enemy," said one protestor, Faiza Ali Nur.
Relations between Somalia and Ethiopia have long been strained. They fought a bloody war over their disputed border in 1977.
After launching an offensive against the Islamic forces Sunday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said his army would go home once it defeated the Islamic movement, whose fighters had extended their control over much of southern Somalia the past six months.
Meles vowed yesterday not to give up the fight until extremists and foreign fighters supporting the Islamic movement had been crushed.
"We need to pursue them to make sure that they do not establish themselves again and destabilize Somalia and the region," he said, predicting that would take a few more weeks.
Speaking in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, he said 2,000 to 3,000 Islamic fighters had been killed and 4,000 to 5,000 wounded. Ethiopia suffered a few hundred casualties, he told reporters.
Islamic militiamen, who had said they would defend Mogadishu to the last man, retreated toward the southern port of Kismayo. The fighters had gone door-to-door in Kismayo recruiting children as young as 12 to make a last stand on behalf of the Islamic movement, according to a confidential UN report, citing the families of boys taken to the front line town of Jilib, 100 kilometres north of Kismayo.
Residents said that Islamic leader Hassan Dahir Aweys arrived in Jilib with hundreds of his militiamen aboard 45 pickup trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns.
The Islamic movement took Mogadishu in a battle with clan warlords in June and then advanced across most of the south, often without fighting.
When Ethiopia began providing military aid to the transitional government, Islamic leaders issued a call for foreign Muslims to join their "holy war" against the Ethiopians. Somalis living on the coast reported seeing hundreds of foreigners entering the country.
The turning came when Islamic troops advanced on the interim government's stronghold in Baidoa, and Ethiopian troops and fighter aircraft went on the attack over the weekend and the situation dramatically reversed.
With Eritrea accused of backing the Islamists, many had feared the conflict would engulf the Horn of Africa. UN experts have accused 10 nations of providing arms to both sides.
With files from Reuters
Email story
Choose text Size
Report typo or correction
Email the author Tag and save
Interim parliament plans martial law after Islamic militia flees Mogadishu
December 29, 2006
Mohamed Olad Hassan
Associated Press
MOGADISHU–Jubilant Somalis cheered as troops of the UN-backed interim government rolled into Mogadishu unopposed yesterday, putting an end to six months of domination of the capital by a radical Islamic movement.
Ethiopian soldiers stopped on the outskirts of town, after providing much of the military might in the offensive that shattered what had seemed an unbeatable Islamic militia. Islamic fighters fled south vowing to continue the battle.
"We are in Mogadishu," Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi declared after meeting with local clan leaders to discuss the peaceful hand-over of the city.
Gedi later told reporters that Somalia's parliament would declare martial law tomorrow for a period of three months.
"This country has experienced anarchy and in order to restore security we need a strong hand, especially with freelance militias," he said after travelling 40 kilometres southwest to his home village of Mundul Sharey for the first time since 2002.
Despite celebrations in the streets, worries about the future were widespread in a country that hasn't had an effective national government since clan warlords toppled a longtime dictator 15 years ago.
Many in overwhelmingly Muslim Somalia are suspicious of the transitional government's reliance on neighbouring Ethiopia, a traditional rival with a large Christian population and one of East Africa's biggest armies. Crowds threw stones at Ethiopian troops on the city's northern edge.
Somalia's complex clan politics also are a big worry, having undone at least 14 attempts to install a central government.
Gedi's government, set up in 2004 with UN backing, is riddled with clan rivalries, most notably between the young prime minister and elderly president.
"The future of Somalia is very bleak and Somalis will share the same fate with Iraq and Afghanistan," said Mogadishu resident Abdullahi Mohamed Laki.
"The transitional government has no broad support in the capital.''
Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf, whose shaky acting administration has spent the last year in a temporary capital, Baidoa, some 240 kilometres west of Mogadishu, said government troops are not a threat to the city's people.
"The government is committed to solving every problem that may face Somalia through dialogue and peaceful ways," he said in a statement.
A chilling reminder of the chaos Somalia has known came as militiamen and criminal groups began looting almost anything they could after the Islamic forces fled. At least four people were killed in the melee, said one witness, Abdullahi Adow.
Some Islamic fighters ditched their uniforms to avoid reprisals before fleeing the capital.
"We have been defeated. I have removed my uniform. Most of my comrades have also changed into civilian clothes," one former fighter said.
The United Nations flew out 14 aid workers and said it was gearing up to speed emergency aid to Somalis driven from their homes by war after the interim government approved the immediate resumption of humanitarian flights.
Ethiopian troops, who pledged not to enter the capital, were stoned by crowds on the northern edge of the city, witnesses said.
"How could we welcome an invading enemy," said one protestor, Faiza Ali Nur.
Relations between Somalia and Ethiopia have long been strained. They fought a bloody war over their disputed border in 1977.
After launching an offensive against the Islamic forces Sunday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said his army would go home once it defeated the Islamic movement, whose fighters had extended their control over much of southern Somalia the past six months.
Meles vowed yesterday not to give up the fight until extremists and foreign fighters supporting the Islamic movement had been crushed.
"We need to pursue them to make sure that they do not establish themselves again and destabilize Somalia and the region," he said, predicting that would take a few more weeks.
Speaking in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, he said 2,000 to 3,000 Islamic fighters had been killed and 4,000 to 5,000 wounded. Ethiopia suffered a few hundred casualties, he told reporters.
Islamic militiamen, who had said they would defend Mogadishu to the last man, retreated toward the southern port of Kismayo. The fighters had gone door-to-door in Kismayo recruiting children as young as 12 to make a last stand on behalf of the Islamic movement, according to a confidential UN report, citing the families of boys taken to the front line town of Jilib, 100 kilometres north of Kismayo.
Residents said that Islamic leader Hassan Dahir Aweys arrived in Jilib with hundreds of his militiamen aboard 45 pickup trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns.
The Islamic movement took Mogadishu in a battle with clan warlords in June and then advanced across most of the south, often without fighting.
When Ethiopia began providing military aid to the transitional government, Islamic leaders issued a call for foreign Muslims to join their "holy war" against the Ethiopians. Somalis living on the coast reported seeing hundreds of foreigners entering the country.
The turning came when Islamic troops advanced on the interim government's stronghold in Baidoa, and Ethiopian troops and fighter aircraft went on the attack over the weekend and the situation dramatically reversed.
With Eritrea accused of backing the Islamists, many had feared the conflict would engulf the Horn of Africa. UN experts have accused 10 nations of providing arms to both sides.
With files from Reuters
cheered kulahaa 
on behalf of USA and Israel we would like to thank our raw meating friends Ethopia and the little lepricon Flavor Flav looking TFG for cleaning up the alqaida wannabes UIC. 
what's with this aunt shyt? who aunts hate who?