Somali deputy & defense minister sacked

The Somali Prime Minister has sacked his deputy and the defense minister, both critics of the interim government and its Ethiopian backers. In a statement released by Ali Mohammad Gedi's office Saturday, the premier has dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Mohammad Aidid and Defense Minister Barre Aden Shire Hirale without elaborating any reasons. "The minister of housing and public works and Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Mohammad Aidid and the defense minister Barre Aden Shire Hirale have been sacked by the prime minister and the president has approved this," it said. Aidid, a former warlord, railed against his sacking from the Eritrean capital Asmara, where he relocated last month. He has repeatedly called for withdrawal of the occupying Ethiopian troops from Somalia. "It is a completely illegal procedure. Reshuffles or changes have to be approved by parliament but Gedi has not done that," Aidid stressed. He added "Gedi is taking Somalia in the wrong direction and we need to stop and return to the correct route." Aidid then went on to say "There is no government in Somalia, only a military operation run by Ethiopia that is destroying the lives and property of all those in the capital." Somali expatriate forces backed by Ethiopian troops, ousted the Islamists from control of Somalia in December and ended a relatively calm six months period. The government backed Ethiopian forces are still struggling to store order in the chaos hit country, which was also bombed by US war planes in January with the claim of targeting al-Qaeda terrorists. The bombings led to many civilian casualties. MF/KB