From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Thu Oct 23 2008 - 15:53:57 EDT
UN to fund Ethiopians in Somalia
Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:37:54 GMT
The UN has reportedly agreed to provide Ethiopia with financial and
military support in the country's battle against Somali insurgents.
The agreement is a result of negotiations between Ethiopian Prime
Minister Meles Zanawi and UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro
in the Ethiopian capital Adis Ababa, sources in Somalia's presidential
palace told Press TV.
The deal aims at curbing violence and facilitating counterinsurgency
activities in Somalia, the sources added.
In 2006, Ethiopian soldiers entered Somalia to back the country's
embattled Transitional Federal Government (TFG). Ever since, Somalis
have been the casualty of the troops' unceasing struggle against the
insurgents.
The death toll on the side of Somalis was so extensive that it prompted
the Ethiopian authorities to consider withdrawal. Last week, Zenawi said
poor 'commitment' on the part of the Somali government would leave
Ethiopia no choice but to pull the forces out of Somalia.
Ten Ethiopians were said to have been killed during the their most
recent engagement with the insurgents in the town of Bardale southeast
of the capital Mogadishu. The confrontation also claimed 30 Somali
soldiers.
The accommodation, however, marks a coup for the Ethiopian side
following reports of Adis Ababa's abortive attempts at seeking support
from the European Union.
HN/MMN
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