US condemns Somali war ultimatum

Story by REUTERS Publication Date: 12/15/2006

NAIROBI, Thursday The United States today condemned as "irresponsible" a threat by Somalia’s Islamist movement to attack Ethiopian troops backing the interim government unless they leave within days. The defence chief for the Mogadishu-based Islamists gave the ultimatum on Tuesday. He said Ethiopia has more than 30,000 troops in Somalia to bolster the administration of President Abdullahi Yusuf in Baidoa, the only town under government control. But Addis Ababa has scoffed at the war threat, saying it only has a few hundred trainers with the Somali Government, which is backed by the West in a 14th attempt since 1991 to restore central rule to the conflict-riven nation. "The United States regrets the irresponsible 'ultimatum’ issued by the Islamic Courts," US Embassy spokeswoman Jennifer Barnes said from the Nairobi mission, which has responsibility for Kenya and Somalia. "Given the existing heightened tensions in Somalia, this ultimatum further destabilises the situation and undermines international and regional efforts to encourage credible dialogue between Somali parties," she added. Heightened fears The Islamists’ deadline for Ethiopian withdrawal has heightened fears of all-out war in Somalia, where skirmishes have taken place between reconnaissance teams from government and Islamist troops near Baidoa. The Islamists took Mogadishu in June. Their fighterseffectively flank the government on three sides, and rival soldiers are just a few kilometres apart. Diplomats fear any fighting could quickly spill into a regional war given that Ethiopia openly supports the government while its arch-foe, Eritrea, is accused of sending arms and fighters to help the Somalia Islamic Courts Council. Foreign nations are urging the Somali rivals to return to peace talks, which stalled in Khartoum last month. However, a UN resolution endorsing an African peacekeeping mission -- which the government wants, but the Islamists have sworn to fight -- has made a quick resumption of talks unlikely. Washington pushed for the UN motion despite European and analysts’ fears that instead of promoting peace, a foreign force might inflame the situation and draw jihadists to Somalia. "You had the bizarre situation where only one country wanted this resolution, and everyone else disagreed, but it got through because of who that country is," said a Western diplomat. Washington argues the arrival of a formal African peacekeeping force to protect the government would pave the way for an exit of Ethiopian and Eritrean forces. And the head of the African Union (AU) backed that view at a regional summit in Kenya, saying peacekeepers were needed to stop the "rot" in Somalia. "If we do not do this now, then we must prepare ourselves for the emergence of ethnic republics and religious republics in the coming years," he said. In Aden, a senior leader of the Somalia Islamic Courts Council said today it would only hold talks with Ethiopia after it withdraws its troops. Islamists have threatened to attack Ethiopian troops unless they leave Somalia by Tuesday. "We are ready to speak to the Ethiopians if they leave Somalia. Otherwise we will fight them until we evict them from Somalia," Sheikh Sharif Ahmed said.