From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Sat Oct 10 2009 - 20:24:26 EDT
Puntland accuses Ethiopia of secret killings
Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:54:09 GMT
Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region has accused Ethiopia of
sending secret agents on a cross-border undercover operation in its
territory.
The secret forces reportedly carried out a night raid in the central
Somali town of Galkayp on Friday, assassinating two people.
Puntland Security Minister, Abdullahi Said Samatar told the BBC that the
forces must have crossed over from Ethiopia's Somali region, also known
as the 'Ogaden', where rebels are fighting the government.
"Our relationship with Ethiopia has always been good, but we cannot
accept security forces intervening in this way," Samatar said, adding
that the Somali government had already sent the other country a written
objection.
Press TV correspondent in Somalia said that another person was also
kidnapped in the incident.
The rebels in the Ogaden have been seeking independence for Ethiopia's
Somali-speaking population since 1984.
Puntland has enjoyed good relations with Addis Ababa since it announced
its semi-autonomous status in 1998 -- seven years after the collapse of
the central Somali government.
Earlier in January, after a two-year occupation, the 3,000-strong
Ethiopian forces finally withdrew from the Horn of African nation,
following a deadly insurgents' war waged on both Ethiopian and Somali
government forces.
However, since withdrawing, the US-backed Ethiopians have maintained a
strong presence along the Somali border.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=108306
<http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=108306§ionid=351020501>
§ionid=351020501
Map
<http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46195000/gif/_46195921_som_punt_s
omalil_226map.gif>
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