Ethiopia forces capture rebel-controlled Somali town

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

December 31, 2011 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopian forces have captured a strategic town in Somalia after hundreds of troops carried out assault on Saturday against the Al-Qaida linked Al-Shabaab rebels who have been in control of the border town.

The Ethiopian government has confirmed redeploying its forces into Somalia and securing the Baladwayne town from the hands of Al-Shabaab.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in its extraordinary summit in Addis Ababa last November has called on the Ethiopia to support the Kenyan and Somalia joint security operation against the extremist group.

Ethiopian government spokesman Bereket Simon said the military intervention was in response to recent requests from Somalia government for Ethiopia support.

Al shabab on its Twitter feed said it was a “planned withdrawal” from the town because of what it said was Ethiopia’s “indiscriminate” shelling.

Following the operation by Ethiopian forces the weak transitional government of Somalia has officially called upon regional countries and the international community as a whole to support the Somali people and its government in the on going efforts of curbing Al shabab threats.

The islamist militant group late in November warned Ethiopia to refrain from any military intervention or face grave consequences.

The group in a statement then said “any new military operation by Ethiopia will lead to heavy loss of life among its soldiers”

Ethiopia previously sent troops to Somalia in 2006 with US backing and withdrew forces in 2009 after they overthrew the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) from de facto power in Mogadishu.

(ST)