Ethiopia: We are ready for war with Somali Islamists

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
23 November 2006
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Thursday said his country had completed preparations for war with a powerful Somali Islamic movement after efforts for dialogue failed.

Meles said the Islamists, who have declared a holy war on Ethiopian troops deployed to protect the weak Somali government, represented a clear threat to his country.

"This group represents a clear threat to Ethiopia. To resist this clear and present danger, the policy of this government is first to try to solve the problem through negotiation and dialogue ... So far, our attempts have not been successful," Meles told Parliament.

"When any country faces that type of danger it has the full right to defend itself against this threat ... To exercise this right we have been preparing for this kind of response, because it is our responsibility," he said.

"The government has completed that kind of preparations," Meles added.

The Islamists last month claimed to have drawn first blood in the jihad by attacking an Ethiopian convoy near the seat of government, killing two soldiers.

Ethiopia denies reports it has thousands of combat troops in Somalia but admits several hundred military advisers, trainers and support personnel have been sent to help the transitional government in Baidoa.

It has also made clear it will defend the internationally backed government and itself from attack by the Islamists, some of whom are accused of links with al-Qaeda and have refused to attend peace talks until the Ethiopians withdraw.

'We are ready'
Meanwhile, the Somali militia on Thursday said it was ready to fight Ethiopian invaders, sparking fears of an all-out war.

Less than an hour after Zenawi had said he had finalised preparations for war, the Islamists war council urged Ethiopia to refrain from sabre-rattling, but announced their readiness to defend themselves.

"If Ethiopia is ready for war, we are very ready for the defence of our country, but we urge Ethiopia to refrain from its reckless, war-thirsty behaviour," said Abdurahim Ali Muddey, spokesperson for the Supreme Islamic Council of Somalia.

Muddey rejected Meles's claims that the Islamists, whom it accuses of links to Osama bib Laden's al-Qaeda network, was "a clear threat" to its security and that they had rejected peace talks.

"We are not a threat to Ethiopia, but the presence of its troops in our homeland is a serious security risk to Somalia as well as Ethiopia," he said.

AFP