Addis Ababa, December 27, 2006 - Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said Ethiopian forces and the forces of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia have broken the back of international terrorist forces in and around Baidoa, and the latter are now in full retreat.
Meles said the main forces that the Ethiopian defense forces and that of the TFG faced particularly around Baidoa were not Somali forces as such. “They were Eritrean troops, international terrorists and some elements of the so-called Shabab," Meles said in a press conference he gave to local and international journalists here on Tuesday.
“Our commanders have got the list of international terrorists, people outside of Somalia who were wounded and being treated at a hospital in the town of Diinsoor when the town was occupied,” Meles said.
“Not only did we get the names of those Eritreans, but the list of names of people who carry British Passports. So when we talk about international terrorists, we mean international. Not just Middle East," he added.
Meles said something like 290 non-Somalis, who were wounded, were being treated at the Hospital in Diinsoor.
“The whole of Middle Somalia is now free from these terrorist groups, and Baidoa is not under threat any more,” Meles said.
Meles said, so far Ethiopian troops have not entered any town, and it is only the TFG forces that have gone into towns. "Liberating towns is not Ethiopia’s agenda. Our army has avoided even the small towns that have been liberated so far.”
He added, “There are no specific towns that we target to liberate. We have no specific agenda of targeting Mogadishu or any other specific town. We are not after towns, we are after the terrorist groups.”
“Only senior commanders of our army have entered into these liberated towns, and they did so solely for the purpose of talking to traditional leaders in these towns," Meles said.
“We have done more than half of our mission already. As soon as we complete the other half, and I hope it won’t take us long, we will be out of there," Meles said.
Asked what exactly is Ethiopia's mission, Meles said, “The mission of our defense forces is to protect Ethiopia from the threat posed by the so-called Mujahidin, the Shabab, and their backers - the Eritrean army."
“They pose a very serious threat to us - ‘A clear and present danger’ as our parliament described it. Our mission is to stop that by degrading their military capability to hurt us. Once we have done that, we have completed our mission.”
“So far the Somali people in the areas that our troops and those of the TFG have crossed have been very welcoming to our troops. We have not faced resistance of any kind from the Somalian population – none whatsoever,” he said.
"Much of the UIC militia is out of the game now. They have gone to their clan bases. We have no plan to pursue those. The rank and file of the Islamic Courts militia is not a threat to Ethiopia. It is not the enemy; and we are not pursuing them at all."
Then Premier said, the limited operation of the Ethiopian Air force in Mogadishu was a very carefully carried out operation.
“The Air force limited its activities to the air base at "Balo Dogleey", where there are no civilians. It is an air base where the leadership of the international terrorists have their headquarters," Meles said.
"There was one air raid on Mogadishu International Airport. But it was a very limited one and caused very limited damage, because the intention was not to cause damage, but to warn off civilian planes that are being chartered to ferry Eritrean troops and ammunition into Mogadishu," Meles said.
"The only forces we are pursuing are the remnants of the Eritrean army which have been stationed there, and international terrorists who call themselves Mujahidin," Meles said.
Asked about the extent of the involvement of the Eritrean troops, Meles said, “They are in it up to their neck. They are in it in every form they can. They have their manpower there. They provide leadership. They provide logistics. They provide the conduit for other forces to provide assistance. Those who do not wish to provide assistance directly, do it through the Eritrean government.”
Meles described as "myth" the theory of regional conflagration between Ethiopia and Eritrea. If the Eritrean government had been eager to start a regional war with us, it would not have had to go thousands of kilometers up to Somalia.
Meles said he do not see any reason why this war should be protracted. "I would be very surprised if this thing were not to be wound up over the next days, at most a week or so,” he said.
Asked how Ethiopia would face a guerilla warfare which the terrorists are threatening to launch, Meles said, "Ethiopia will not be there for them to wage a guerilla war.”
“Our hope is that the dialogue between the TFG and the UIC will be revitalized. Our hope is that those foreigners who have been messing around in Somalia would be required to leave, and the Somalis will be left alone to deal with their matter through negotiation," Meles said.
“If our military operation has created an environment which is good for such dialogue, we would be absolutely thrilled,” he added.
Meles said Ethiopia welcomes all peace initiatives being carried out by the international community and that it would fully cooperate to the fruition of such initiatives. "But," he said, "Ethiopia’s intention is not to circumvent the peace talks."
“Our intention is to protect ourselves from the threat that these people posed on us as Ethiopians. Once we do that, we hope the Somalis can do their homework without interference from any body, including Ethiopia.”
Asked about worries of the humanitarian implications of the war, Meles said, he do not think that is a valid worry. "We have not stopped any humanitarian work, and do not have plan to stop any humanitarian work."
(ENA)
Meles said the main forces that the Ethiopian defense forces and that of the TFG faced particularly around Baidoa were not Somali forces as such. “They were Eritrean troops, international terrorists and some elements of the so-called Shabab," Meles said in a press conference he gave to local and international journalists here on Tuesday.
“Our commanders have got the list of international terrorists, people outside of Somalia who were wounded and being treated at a hospital in the town of Diinsoor when the town was occupied,” Meles said.
“Not only did we get the names of those Eritreans, but the list of names of people who carry British Passports. So when we talk about international terrorists, we mean international. Not just Middle East," he added.
Meles said something like 290 non-Somalis, who were wounded, were being treated at the Hospital in Diinsoor.
“The whole of Middle Somalia is now free from these terrorist groups, and Baidoa is not under threat any more,” Meles said.
Meles said, so far Ethiopian troops have not entered any town, and it is only the TFG forces that have gone into towns. "Liberating towns is not Ethiopia’s agenda. Our army has avoided even the small towns that have been liberated so far.”
He added, “There are no specific towns that we target to liberate. We have no specific agenda of targeting Mogadishu or any other specific town. We are not after towns, we are after the terrorist groups.”
“Only senior commanders of our army have entered into these liberated towns, and they did so solely for the purpose of talking to traditional leaders in these towns," Meles said.
“We have done more than half of our mission already. As soon as we complete the other half, and I hope it won’t take us long, we will be out of there," Meles said.
Asked what exactly is Ethiopia's mission, Meles said, “The mission of our defense forces is to protect Ethiopia from the threat posed by the so-called Mujahidin, the Shabab, and their backers - the Eritrean army."
“They pose a very serious threat to us - ‘A clear and present danger’ as our parliament described it. Our mission is to stop that by degrading their military capability to hurt us. Once we have done that, we have completed our mission.”
“So far the Somali people in the areas that our troops and those of the TFG have crossed have been very welcoming to our troops. We have not faced resistance of any kind from the Somalian population – none whatsoever,” he said.
"Much of the UIC militia is out of the game now. They have gone to their clan bases. We have no plan to pursue those. The rank and file of the Islamic Courts militia is not a threat to Ethiopia. It is not the enemy; and we are not pursuing them at all."
Then Premier said, the limited operation of the Ethiopian Air force in Mogadishu was a very carefully carried out operation.
“The Air force limited its activities to the air base at "Balo Dogleey", where there are no civilians. It is an air base where the leadership of the international terrorists have their headquarters," Meles said.
"There was one air raid on Mogadishu International Airport. But it was a very limited one and caused very limited damage, because the intention was not to cause damage, but to warn off civilian planes that are being chartered to ferry Eritrean troops and ammunition into Mogadishu," Meles said.
"The only forces we are pursuing are the remnants of the Eritrean army which have been stationed there, and international terrorists who call themselves Mujahidin," Meles said.
Asked about the extent of the involvement of the Eritrean troops, Meles said, “They are in it up to their neck. They are in it in every form they can. They have their manpower there. They provide leadership. They provide logistics. They provide the conduit for other forces to provide assistance. Those who do not wish to provide assistance directly, do it through the Eritrean government.”
Meles described as "myth" the theory of regional conflagration between Ethiopia and Eritrea. If the Eritrean government had been eager to start a regional war with us, it would not have had to go thousands of kilometers up to Somalia.
Meles said he do not see any reason why this war should be protracted. "I would be very surprised if this thing were not to be wound up over the next days, at most a week or so,” he said.
Asked how Ethiopia would face a guerilla warfare which the terrorists are threatening to launch, Meles said, "Ethiopia will not be there for them to wage a guerilla war.”
“Our hope is that the dialogue between the TFG and the UIC will be revitalized. Our hope is that those foreigners who have been messing around in Somalia would be required to leave, and the Somalis will be left alone to deal with their matter through negotiation," Meles said.
“If our military operation has created an environment which is good for such dialogue, we would be absolutely thrilled,” he added.
Meles said Ethiopia welcomes all peace initiatives being carried out by the international community and that it would fully cooperate to the fruition of such initiatives. "But," he said, "Ethiopia’s intention is not to circumvent the peace talks."
“Our intention is to protect ourselves from the threat that these people posed on us as Ethiopians. Once we do that, we hope the Somalis can do their homework without interference from any body, including Ethiopia.”
Asked about worries of the humanitarian implications of the war, Meles said, he do not think that is a valid worry. "We have not stopped any humanitarian work, and do not have plan to stop any humanitarian work."
(ENA)
Comments