Ethiopian soldiers reportedly rap Somali gril

April 16, 2007 (MOGADISHU) — Ethiopian soldiers rapped an 18 year-old Somali girl last Thursday 12 April in the Xamar Bile neighbourhood, Wardhiigley District of Mogadishu, the girl, Fardowso Abdi Hashi said.

Fardowso said she and another girl were coming from the Ceelasha Biyaha area, where they had fled to following the fighting in Mogadishu. They were returning to her locality of Xamar Bile in order to collect some items from their home. Before reaching the home, some Ethiopian forces fired at them. She tried to escape, but fell and was grabbed by the Ethiopian forces who took her to a house nearby and raped her.

“According to my knowledge, the number of the men who raped me was 12. I lost my mind”, she added. She spoke to reporters at Xaawa Cabdi Hospital, which is on the outskirts of Mogadishu, where she was admitted for check up.

Fardowso appealed to Somali people to protest and also advised Somali girls to be on alert when in areas where Ethiopian troops were present, reported the Somali independent Shabeelle website.

This is the second woman to be raped by Ethiopian soldiers in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. They had earlier raped another woman, Suuban Maalin Ali.

Hawiye sub clan spokesman Ahmad Diriye Ali said the act was a violation of human rights and called on the international community to deal with the abuses of Ethiopian troops against the Somali people.

(Shabeelle)