Salad Duhul, Canadian Press
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - Ethiopian troops who helped Somalia's government drive out a radical Islamic militia began withdrawing from this Horn of Africa country on Tuesday in military trucks and tanks.
Experts fear an Ethiopian withdrawal could leave a power vacuum and even lead to a return to the anarchy and warlord rule of the past unless a proposed African peacekeeping force arrives quickly. But Tuesday, the start of their withdrawal was portrayed as a positive step. Some in Somalia had resented the presence of troops from a traditional rival.
"As of today, the Ethiopian troops have started to withdraw from Somalia. We are grateful that they played an important role in the restoration of law and order in the country," Somali government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said.
Nearly 200 people gathered at the former National University in Mogadishu, cheering as the Ethiopians moved out. "Leave us alone and let us solve our problems," the crowd chanted.
Many Somalis resent the presence of Ethiopian forces. Somalia, a Muslim country, and Ethiopia, which has a large Christian population, fought a brutal war in 1977.
The Islamic council has played on that traditional rivalry, saying the group would launch an Iraq-style guerrilla war on Ethiopian troops here. Sheik Ahmed Muumin, a member of the Islamic council who contacted The Associated Press by telephone, said Tuesday: "The withdrawal of Ethiopia will be the end of our ongoing insurgency."
It was not clear whether his views represented that of the Islamic leadership, which is largely in hiding.
One top leader of the ousted movement, apparently afraid for his life now that the once-powerful militia has been chased into hiding, surrendered to authorities and is in custody in neighbouring Kenya.
Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, considered a moderate who could contribute to rebuilding Somalia, went to a Kenyan police station along the Somali border Sunday and was flown to Nairobi, according to a police report seen by the AP. He is not believed to be wanted by the authorities, as are other members of the Islamic group.
Alfred Mutua, a Kenya government spokesman, confirmed that Ahmed was in police custody. "The police are talking to him. More details will be provided later," Mutua said.
U.S. Ambassador Michael Ranneberger has said Ahmed is a moderate Islamic leader the United States believes should be part of a national reconciliation process in Somalia. Ahmed was the chairman of the Executive Council of Islamic Courts and shared the leadership with Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, who was chairman of the court's legislative council.
Aweys is on a U.S. list of people with suspected ties to al-Qaida, though he has repeatedly denied having ties to international terrorists.
According to a new al-Qaida videotape, al-Qaida's deputy leader vowed that mujahideen would "break (the) backs" of the Ethiopians in Somalia. The footage of Ayman al-Zawahri was released Monday by a U.S. group that tracks terror messages.
Somalia's government has been appealing for peacekeepers to help it stabilize this chaotic country. On Friday, the African Union Peace and Security Council approved a plan to send about 8,000 African peacekeepers, including nine infantry battalions, to Somalia for a six-month mission that would eventually be taken over by the UN. The council said the initial deployment should have at least three battalions.
Malawi's defence minister said Monday that that southern African country would contribute a full or half-battalion to a Somali peacekeeping mission, depending on other countries' contributions. Uganda's ruling party approved the deployment of 1,500 troops almost two battalions but parliament must approve the plan
© The Canadian Press 2007 (www.canada.com)
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