Somalia: The Powerful Islamist Leaders Warned G8 Leaders‎‎

Addis Ababa, July 17, 2006 -The Supreme leader of Somalia's increasingly powerful Islamist movement, Sharif sheikh Ahmed has warned world powers meeting in Russia against backing   of any foreign peacekeepers for his lawless nation where his forces are now dominant.

Islamic fighters take control of an anti aircraft vehicle in Mogadishu outskirts. Somalia's newly powerful Islamists have agreed to respect the legitimacy of the fragile government in Baidoa and continue talks despite a rebuff by the president, an Arab League envoy.

A spokesman for Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, talks with HAN Reporter and GEESKA AFRIKA Magazine in Addis about Ethiopia's strategy for dealing with Islamic Militia, Somali Transitional Government, IGAD States that supports Islamic Leaders in Mogadishu, Sudan's peace initiative, Eritrea and its Djibouti neighbor dialogue. The Ethiopian spokesman said we support our prime minister's position which he said last week “Ethiopia Focuses on disarming Somali Islamist militia in Southern Somalia and handover the leadership with its friendly transitional government based in Baidoa”. Ethiopia branded the Islamists in Somalia "terrorists".

The U.S. is trying to calculate what to do about Somalia, which seems to be slowly moving away from the chaos that has gripped the country for years. An Islamist group now controls the capital, although the U.S. has so far decided not to hold talks with them for their Al-Itihad Links. For now, the U.S. is backing the country's transitional government as a counterweight.

Eritrea, however, which has been supporting the CICS and more specifically the extremist elements, has explicitly stated its support for the Islamic Courts and challenged accusations of terrorism against the fundamentalist groups within the council.

"If it is the issue of 'terrorism' that has been the topic of discussion regarding the Somali issue, solid evidence should be presented to prove this as is the case in London, Madrid and New York. Otherwise, it is completely unacceptable if it is meant to engage the Somali people in a cycle of endless crisis," Isaias Afwerke of Eritrea said.

Ethiopia has said that the Al-Ithihad elements, which now are also in position of leadership in the CICS, were a threat to its national security and cites a series of attacks in Addis Ababa in the late 90s.

Eritrea in what it terms as "a brotherly obligation" to the people of Somalia has been vigorously lobbying for support around the region. Isaias and Eritrea's military officials have been paying visits and holding talks with regional IGAD and AU counterparts to gain support for the newly established peace and stability in Mogadishu. The President of Eritrea has paying visits to Yemen and Sudan holding talks on the issue of Somalia and to show the support of the current Mogadishu leaders and peace to in light the Hidden agenda of the Ethiopian Regime against what he called “Somalia”.  

Somalia Islamic Courts Union leader opened and prayed last week at the ”Mogadishu International Airport”, before his delegation departing for talks with their interim government in Sudan.

The Somalia TFG has been challenged in asserting itself in Somalia. Unable to move to Mogadishu, which now is under the control of the Council of Islamic Courts of Somalia, the Somalia TFG is now even threatened by the latter of losing its seat in Baidoa.

The supreme leaders of Islamic Courts in Mogadishu met secretly In Medina (Mogadishu) over the weekend for one of their daily operational meetings of the future of Southern Somalia. The Bay and Bakool operation in TFG's fur region was one of the main topics up for discussion. The Islamic leaders are debating whether the newly established Digil And Mirifle Islamic Courts Militia based in Mogadishu should replace and lead the operation.

Somalia's government has reinforced its militias and ally Ethiopia has sent more troops over the border days before talks with powerful Islamists who threaten its slim authority, experts said on Thursday.

Roughly 2,000 Ethiopian troops earlier this week crossed in at Dollow, where the borders of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia converge, along with several tanks to complement about 2,000 soldiers already there, various sources said.

"The Ethiopian Army had crossed with tanks, about a dozen, and about another 2,000-3,000 men," a Western diplomat said. A military expert who monitors security daily and a government official based in Baidoa -- the government's temporary base and only outpost confirmed that.

"The Ethiopian regiments are in several locations within Southern Somalia, scattered all over in Dollow, Bulahawo, Wajid and in other remote locations on the outskirts of Baidoa," the Somali government official said.

The Islamists refuse to accept foreign troops and some in their ranks have threatened a holy war should Ethiopia in particular come to Somalia. The Islamic forces that has taken control of key areas of Somalia warned of fresh fighting in the shattered country if Ethiopia, which it has accused of launching a military incursion, refuses to pull its troops out of the count.

Source: HAN

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