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December 26, 2006

Somalia: Islamists Suffer Major Blows In Conflict With Ethiopia

On June 5, the Union of Islamic Courts announced that its fighters had taken control of Mogadishu, capital of Somalia. The head of the UIC then was Sheikh Ahmed Sheikh Sharif, but on June 27, the Islamist body he represented was made subliminal to the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts, which became headed by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys. Since November 2005, Aweys had been gathering troops for his militia.

In February, an alliance against the Islamists, comprising businessmen and warlords who were part of the legitimate government was formed, under the leadership of Bashir Rage. In the same month, the anti-terror aliance engaged in its first clashes with the UIC. The legitimate government is based in Baidoa, and was formed under the aegis of the United Nations in 2004. This "transitional" government is supported by Ethiopia, and was the only form of legitimate lealdership since the ouuster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

For the past week, there have been serious clashes with the Ethiopian military. On October 24, Ethiopia's prime minister, Meles Zenawi, announced that his country was "technically" at war with Somalia.

On November 17, Aweys announced his plans to expand Somalia's borders to "recapture" parts of Kenya and Ethiopia, to create "Greater Somalia". The Ogaden region of Ethiopia has a high population of ethnic Somalis, and over the past three decades, there has been dispute over the rulership of this region.

After taking over Mogadishu, the Islamists began a campaign of conquering of Somalia, assisted by foreign Islamists and aided by Eritrea, which is in a permanent dispute with Ethiopia. In the first week of July this year, the airport at Mogadishu was taken by the Islamists. Since that time, the relationship between the transitional government and the Islamists has been fraught.

The African Union had been trying to mount peace talks between the two sides, but the Islamists would attend, then break agreements, or refuse to attend. It appears now that the African Union supports the Ethiopian military's campaign against the Islamic Courts.

The airport at Mogadishu began to be used to import weapons into Somalia. On Friday, July 28, the third plane arrived at the airport. Unidentified cargo was unloaded, which many assume to have been weapons, which the government claims are coming from Eritrea. As the goods were unloaded, roads were closed, and onlookers driven away from the scene. A similar plane load had arrived on Wednesday, July 26.

On December 25, the Ethiopians attacked the airport at Mogadishu with fire from a MiG fighter. Three planes also attacked a military airfield in Balidogle, in the south of Somalia, which lies 60 miles west of the capital. The runway was targeted. Abdirahim Adan, managing director of Mogadishu international airport, claimed a bomb had been dropped on the runway at the capital's main airport. He said: "The airport has been hit. A MiG jet dropped something. We are still trying to assess the damage, but one person has been injured."

A spokesman from the Ethiopian government claimed that the attacks were to prevent "illegal flights" and said: "It was also reported some of the extremists were waiting for an airlift out of Mogadishu."

However, shortly after the raid, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys and Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed landed at Mogadishu airport, indicating the runway there was still intact.

Beledweyne, a town near Baidoa, seat of the transitional government, was receptured by the government and Ethiopian military on Sunday (December 24). This town had been invaded by Islamist militia on Wednesday August 16. This is a strategic town, lying along the main route between the north and south of the country. With Beledweyne now in the hands of the legitimate government, the Islamists will have a problem moving ordnance.

Meles Zenawi, the Ethiopian prime minister, said: "We are not trying to set up a government for Somalia, nor do we have an intention to meddle in Somalia internal affairs. We have only been forced by the circumstances. We want to end this war urgently and we hope that Ethiopian people stand by the defence forces."

Earlier today, Ethiopian troops advanced towards Mogadishu. The US State Department has expressed tacit approval for the actions of the Ethiopians. Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys is linked to Al Qaeda. He led an Islamist terror group called Al-Ittihad al-Islami which was formed after Mohamed Siad Barre was deposed. This group carried out bomb attacks in Ethiopia and also Kenya.

The head of the Islamists' |army" is Aden Hashi Ayro who is reputed to have been involved with Al Qaeda when he fought the Soviets in Afghanistan. He had said in September: "Among our militia will be Somalis and foreigners." Journalists noted that his bodyguards seemed to be Arab, and had been told that there were other bodyguards from Other African countries, but also from Central Asia. On July 6, video was released showing foreign fighters alongside the Islamists, reinforcing fears that they were linked to Al Qaeda's international network.

Peter Pham, a US-based counterterrorism expert, as well as UN investigators and diplomats, affirm that Aden Hashi Ayro is the Islamists' main link with al Qaeda. The UN has linked Ayro with the murders of 16 people, including BBC journalist Kate Peyton, who was shot in Mogadishu on February 9, 2005.

Kurtis Cooper, State Department spokesperson, said from Washington: "Ethiopia has genuine security concerns with regard to developments within Somalia and has provided support at the request of the legitimate government authority. We have urged and continue to urge the Ethiopian government to exercise maximum restraint in intervening or responding to developments in Somalia and to assure the protection of civilians."

The foreign minister of the Somali transitional government, Ismail Hurre, has said from Kenya that he was "sure" that US surveillance craft were providing intelligence to the forces of the transitional government and their Ethiopian allies.

While Ethiopia claims to have half "broken the back" of the Islamists' militia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said: "The war is entering a new phase. We will fight Ethiopia for a long, long time, and we expect the war to go everyplace."

Abdirahman Janaqow, deputy chairman of the Islamic courts' executive body, has said: "We will overcome the Ethiopian troops in our land. Our forces are alert and ready defend our country."

Thousands of Somalis have fled their homes to avoid the conflict, and more fighting broke out again this evening. The Ethiopian troops have also marched closer to the important strategic port of Kismayo in the south of Somalia. This port was captured by the Islamists on September 25. Formerly under the control of the warlord Colonel Bare Adam Shire Hiraale and the Juba Valley Coalition, its "leadership" had fled while the Islamists had surrounded the port for two days prior to invading.

No violence had taken place when the Islamists invaded, but they son began to meet opposition from the populace. A 13-year old boy was shot on the day of their conquering the port.

An attempt by militia from the Juba Valley Alliance to recapture Kismayo on October 13 failed.

The Ethiopians claim to have killed 1,000 Islamists over the past week of fighting, and the front-line of the Islamists' militia appears to have pulled back. Whether they are in genuine retreat or are merely regrouping will be known soon.

It is known that the Islamists are employing foreign fighters. The Ethiopians have claimed that in one very recent battle with the Islamists, they captured 300 Islamist fighters. Some of these had British passports.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at December 26, 2006 11:00 PM

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