(SomaliNet) Somali’s interim Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi said Tuesday the African Union peacekeepers will be deployed in Somalia as soon as possible – as Ethiopian government declared to pull its forces from Somalia within weeks. The premier made the statement in a speech to the transitional parliament in Baidoa city, southwest of the capital. He returned there yesterday. He has underscored that his government made progress in the security issues in Somalia since the government took control of Mogadishu Dec. 24, 2007. “About 40 foreign armed insurgents were captured, those were hiding in Mogadishu and now they are going under investigation over their involvement of the Islamist activities,” said Gedi. He added that the government achieved the success through force, not by begging. “Normally, the government is needed to be powerful. he said.
Mr. Gedi also talked about the meetings his government had with Somali clans to stabilize the capital. Gedi assured that AU peacekeepers will arrive Somalia soon to help the transitional federal government establish peace and security and train more security forces.
His latest comment came as waves of insurgent attacks against the Ethiopian forces supporting the transitional federal institutions continue. GediÂ’s stay in Baidoa is part of campaign aimed to vote against the speaker of the parliament Sharif Hassan Sheik Aden who is away from the country for political rift with the president and the prime minister.