Saturday, October 28, 2006

A UN report has sparked concern that a regional war could break out in Somalia between troops from Ethiopia and Eritrea who have entered the country to support opposing governments.

Photograph by : Karel Prinsloo, Associated Press

NAIROBI , Kenya (AP) -- Thousands of Ethiopian and Eritrean troops are in Somalia, backing opposing sides in the struggle for control of the strategic country, according to a confidential UN briefing paper. The involvement of the two Horn of Africa rivals could set the stage for a regional war.

The confidential report, dated Oct. 26 and obtained by The Associated Press, cites diplomatic sources as estimating that "between 6,000-8,000 Ethiopians and 2,000 fully equipped Eritrean troops are now inside Somalia."

Ethiopia , a traditional rival of Somalia, supports the largely powerless transitional government recognized by the UN. The Eritreans back the Council of Islamic Courts, which controls most of southern Somalia, including the capital, Mogadishu.

"Both sides in the Somali conflict are reported to have major outside backers," the report said, adding that Ethiopia, Uganda and Yemen support the transitional government. Iran, Libya, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states support the Islamic movement.

The transitional government and the Council of Islamic Courts have been girding for battle in recent weeks. Government forces, supported by the Ethiopians, have been seen digging trenches near Baidoa, the only town the UN-backed government controls.

The Islamic courts have deployed forces at a strategic town between Baidoa and their headquarters in the Mogadishu, 240 kilometers to the southeast.

The military moves could be mere posturing ahead of peace talks scheduled for next week in Khartoum, Sudan, but most observers are pessimistic about the chances for an agreement and fear major fighting could follow if talks fail.

"Clearly the situation is rapidly deteriorating and an all-out war is possible," the report said.

Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a two-year border war that remains unresolved.

The briefing paper was written to help senior UN officials map a strategy on how to provide aid to one of the most impoverished countries in the world and one that has not had an effective central government since 1991 when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siyad Barre, then turned on one another, throwing the country into anarchy.

Source: Associated Press