Ethiopia denies ‘large scale’ incursion into Somalia

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

November 20, 2011 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Ethiopian government has dismissed reports alleging that its army had crossed into its war-ravaged East African neighbour Somalia.

Witnesses said Saturday that hundreds of Ethiopian troops, in a convoy of 20 armored military vehicles, had entered southern and central Somalia.

However Addis Ababa has immediately refuted the reports.

“It is absolutely not true, there are absolutely no troops in Somalia,” Ethiopian foreign ministry spokesman ambassador Dina Mufti told AFP. “People are simply speculating.”

The new report of incursion comes after the African Union on Friday backed Kenya’s offer to send its troops to Somalia as part efforts to defeat the Islamist rebel group Al Shabaab, which Nairobi accuses it of cross-border attacks and committing a series of kidnappings on its territory.

Since last month, Kenya has launched military operations against the extremist group which is also facing battle from Western-backed Somali forces in Mogadishu.

During the past few days there had been growing speculation that Ethiopia might also send troops to Somalia but Dina Mufti said his country has not yet made any decision on the matter.

The Ethiopian official however confirmed there is an intention on the part of IGAD member states to boost the numbers peacekeeping forces to the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

If the latest reports of incursion are true, this will be the first largest number of Ethiopian troops to cross into Somalia border since Addis Ababa withdrew forces in 2009 after three years of military presence.

(ST)