Ethiopian forces hand over weapons to Somalia army

By Tesfa-alem Tekle

January 14, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia Defense forces in Somalia handed-over all the military weapons they have seized during two years of fight with Al-shebab and other Islamist factions,. the Ethiopian television (ETV) reported.

The handing over, late on Monday was made at the premier’s office between Somalia transitional government’s Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and Ethiopia forces military chief in Somalia, Colonel Gebreyohanns Abate.

During the handing over ceremony colonel Gebreyohanns said that the objective of the military support is to build-up the military capacity of Somali transitional government forces.

Somalia Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein said that the support made will scale up the morale and military power of Somalia forces. Furthermore it will boost the long standing friend-ship and cooperation between Ethiopia and Somalia, he added.

Beyond the captured and handed over weapons Ethiopian forces have also gave away a number of weapons from their own.

Among many Mortars, RG, snipers were handed over.

Mean while a self-calling Ahlu Sunna Wal-jama’ah militia which accuses Al-Shebab of killing its religious leaders and desecrating graves has claimed killing 50 Fighters from the al-Shebab movement in a clash with members of Al-shabab in Guriel, about 500km northeast of the capital Mogadishu on Sunday.

Among the killed citizens from Sudan, Eritrea and Pakistan are reported.

The fighting came as Ethiopian soldiers, who entered Somalia in 2006 to help the transitional government battle opposition forces, continued their withdrawal from the country.

(ST)