US concerned over Islamic militia moves in Somalia

Nov 15, 2006 (WASHINGTON) — The United States criticised Eritrea Wednesday for helping Islamic militia fighting the US-backed interim government in Somalia, but it declined to comment on a UN report that allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia were also aiding the militants.

“We are extremely concerned by the escalation of tensions inside Somalia, including a build-up of forces aligned with the Council of Islamic Courts around the interim capital of Baidoa, and recent militia clashes in northeastern Somalia,” a State Department spokesman said.

The spokesman, Gonzalo Gallegos, called on the Islamic militia to “immediately cease any further military expansion” and honor a June agreement for peaceful negotiations with the interim government.

The Islamist movement has gained control of much of southern Somalia since seizing the capital, Mogadishu, in June and isolating the weak Baidoa-based transitional government, which has been unable to restore order in the Horn of Africa nation.

A report by the UN monitoring group for Somalia, which was leaked prior to its submission to the Security Council this week, accused Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah of funnelling arms and other aid to the Council of Islamic Courts.

Ethiopia, which is locked in a long-standing rivalry with Eritrea, was meanwhile said to be backing the Baidoa government along with Uganda and Yemen, in violation of a 1992 embargo on arms sales to the country.

Gallegos said Washington was still reviewing the UN report and declined to comment on its contents.

But he did say the United States has “long-standing concerns regarding the destabilising actions of countries such as Eritrea, which has supported the continued military expansion of the Islamic courts”.

“The US urges all of Somalia’s neighbors to avoid action that might further destabilize the situation,” he added.

“Both sides must demonstrate their commitment to peace and stability through continued dialogue and not force of arms,” he said.

The UN report said the fighting could degenerate into “state-to-state conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, as well as acts of terrorism in other vulnerable states of the region”.

(AFP)