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| Africa Horn |
| ETHIOPIAN TROOPS SEEKING TO SPLIT COUNTRY |
| 2006-12-27 |
| As Ethiopian forces on Wednesday drew closer to the Somali capital, Mogadishu - the stronghold of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) - a second division of light infantry was present in the northern Guldug region, its sights set on the town of Beledwein, the director of the Rome-based Globe Research security think tank, Nicola Pedde, told Adnkronos International (AKI). "Its task is to divide the country in two. The aim is to capture Beledwein and prevent supplies reaching the UIC from it," he said, citing unnamed sources. "They are afraid of two things - of outside aid reaching the Islamists and of possible reinforcements from Eritrea," said Pedde. Soldiers from the Ethiopian engineering corps are extending the airport in the southern town Badaoia - the seat of Somalia's largely ineffectual transitional government - to enable Ethiopian fighter planes to land and take off. "Work is progressing slowly, although they have installed radar towers," Pedde commented. Globe Research sources have confirmed that the Ethopian forces have sustained heavy losses, Pedde stated. "This has occurred because they entered Somalia without armoured vehicles, just trucks, and they only have light infantry," Pedde said. Owing to these losses, the Ethiopian military command has removed the transitional government's generals, accusing them of having under-estimated the size and preparedness of the UIC afilliated Islamist militias, Pedde told AKI. The security expert said he believes the Ethopian forces do not intend to conquer Mogadishu but to seize the strategic southern port of Kismayo. "One of their divisions is advancing towards Kismayo, with the objective of capturing the port," he said, citing sources. "Ethopian troops in Somalia have received no orders to take Mogadishu. Their instructions are to reach its outskirts but not to advance on the city, unless for example the Islamist forces sally forth," he added. Ethopian troops on Wednesday seized the strategic town of Jowhar, 90 kilomentres from the capital, from Islamist militias during a dawn attack. This followed a major offensive begun by Ethiopia over the weekend against the UIC, which since June had increased its control to much of central and southern Somalia. Jowhar is a former UIC stronghold, and its loss leaves the Islamists with control of little more than the coast. The Ethiopian army has called on remaining Islamist fighters to surrender. "Ethopian offensive is three-pronged at present. The newly reinforced main phalanx in Badoia contains 12,000 troops without heavy weapons. They are backed up by a squadron of helicopter gunships. Fighter jets are making incursions from Ethiopian soil against the airports controlled by UIC ," said Pedde. Somalia has been in the grip of warlords and militias for years and has been without an effective national government since 1991 when military dictator Siad Barre was ousted. The transitional government was formed with UN assistance two years ago, but has failed to establish any real control outside the southern provincial town of Baidoa, where it is based. |
| Posted by:Brett |
| #21 If the Ethiopians' legendary hunger is now one for victory over the geographical turd better known as Somalia, I can only wish them all saeity. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-12-27 22:53 |
| #20 #19 - the courts got a freakin' union? Don't they know the trend among workers today is to decertify unions? (Though I doubt they actually work.) One can only hope they're decertified with extreme prejudice. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-12-27 22:47 |
| #19 The Islamic Courts Union has surrendered and the leadership resigned. More here at Bill Roggio's blog. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2006-12-27 22:38 |
| #18 Given a choice between a third world army with MIGs and HIND helicopters or one armed with Toyotas ... which would you choose? |
| Posted by: Closing Sheager2309 2006-12-27 22:19 |
| #17 As of this post [Guam time], claims of heavy Ethiopian losses have still not been verified either on the TWO CNN's + FOX. In addition, GLOBAL RESEARCH has been labeled by many Conservative blogs as PRO-DEMOLEFT/ANTI-US. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-12-27 21:53 |
| #16 My feeling is that the Ethiopians are just another Third World military. That's what I thought, too. |
| Posted by: Benito Mussolini 2006-12-27 21:20 |
| #15 One of their divisions is advancing towards Kismayo Makes sense. When they lost Eritrea, Ethiopia lost it's ports. An Indian ocean port would be a nice replacement. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2006-12-27 20:42 |
| #14 Let's say the SOCOM commander had friends in Somalia oct 3rd, he once commanded the 160th of Blackhawk Down fame. No there has been a JTF HOA there for a few years, very quietly doin HA/CA work. I smell payback. gawd i loves the smell of a good wiff of grape. payback's a'biyotch! »:-) |
| Posted by: RD 2006-12-27 20:34 |
| #13 Let's say the SOCOM commander had friends in Somalia oct 3rd, he once commanded the 160th of Blackhawk Down fame. No there has been a JTF HOA there for a few years, very quietly doin HA/CA work. I smell payback. |
| Posted by: not a troll 2006-12-27 20:16 |
| #12 I remain skeptical. If (unbiased?) reporters aren't there, I take all news with a saltlick. This is so fast developing, I figure old bias's substitute for analysis |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-12-27 20:00 |
| #11 FG: and if you can't trust Rome-based think tanks, GK, whoya gonna trust? This guy Pedde seems to be for real. He's written on a number of other geopolitical topics as well. Why would an Italian know anything about or have any sources in Somalia? Because part of Somalia used to be Italian territory. My feeling is that the Ethiopians are just another Third World military. If they advance quickly, it's the result of indifference towards casualties, not skill. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2006-12-27 19:39 |
| #10 In fact ... Here's a link. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2006-12-27 19:38 |
| #9 "Is somebody in the WH/DOD paying attention?" My guess is that there are DoD personnel on scene. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2006-12-27 19:24 |
| #8 Is somebody in the WH/DOD paying attention? I'd feel a lot better if the ICU were complaining aobut foreigners. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-12-27 17:58 |
| #7 the director of the Rome-based Globe Research security think tank, Nicola Pedde, told Adnkronos International (AKI). and if you can't trust Rome-based think tanks, GK, whoya gonna trust? I for one, trust facts on teh ground. Those facts say the troops aren't advancing that far/fast without transport and support, including artillery and armor, however light.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-12-27 17:42 |
| #6 Ethopian forces have sustained heavy losses... because they entered Somalia without armoured vehicles, just trucks, and they only have light infantry... On the 22th, Tipper posted an article about moving Ethiopian tanks into battle. What happened? Were they all destroyed or did the referenced losses occur before armor was sent into battle? Sheik Mohamoud Ibrahim Suley claimed that his forces had destroyed four Ethiopian tanks outside Baidoa by Dec 25th. |
| Posted by: GK 2006-12-27 17:36 |
| #5 LOL Cyber Sarge! |
| Posted by: RD 2006-12-27 17:14 |
| #4 I worry about my soul because I am truly enjoying the destruction of the Somalia warlords. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-12-27 17:01 |
| #3 those that don't wanna convert can march east to Mecca |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-12-27 16:27 |
| #2 I am down with that too so long as they kill their leaders and convert Somalia to Christianity. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2006-12-27 16:24 |
| #1 Maybe Ethiopia will take over Somalia and make a greater Ethiopia. Works for me. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-12-27 15:50 |