Somalia: Anti Ethiopia Protest in Dhusomareb

August 14, 2006
Mohamed Abdi Farah (SomaliNet)
Mass rally against the continuation of Ethiopian intervention in Somalia has been held on Monday in Dhusomareb town, the capital of Galgadud region. The Ethiopian troops have occupied Balanbale district of Galgadud region on Sunday where they had blocked all roads in the town to protect against Islamic Courts who are expanding their power through the central regions in Somalia. The district has fallen into hands of Ethiopian troops and they talked no one in Balanbale, Sheikh Khalif Giir told the local media. Hundreds of people in Dhusomareb have protest against the occupation of Ethiopian troops in BalanBale on Sunday chanting anti Ethiopia slogans. ‘Stop the invasion, death to Ethiopians, we don’t more bloodshed, The leader of the newly set up Islamic Court in Dhusomareb, Sheikh Moalim Ahmed addressed the protestors telling them to wage holy war on Ethiopian troops unless they withdraw the country. “we will cost ourselves in defending our land from the enemy and that's our rights to do,” Sheikh Khaliif said. Earlier Islamic Courts who took control of Somali capital Mogadishu and other key towns in south of the country declared Jihad against Ethiopia if they continue to interfere the Somali territory. There is high tension in many towns of Galgadud region in central Somalia over the invasion of Ethiopian troops in the region. This prompts major conflict between Islamic Courts and Ethiopia forces. Islamists in region continue to encourage the people to join the holy war against Ethiopia to liberate their land from the enemy troops. Ethiopia had earlier vowed to crack down what it called the extremists who took the power of mostly the horn of African nation (Somalia) while the US government expressed it concern that Somalia might become safe heaven for international terrorists.