 Ethiopian soldiers |
Ethiopian has completely withdrawn its troops from Somalia where they were deployed to assist the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).
The troops arrived in the Ethiopian border town of Dollow and were greeted by residents and local officials on Sunday.
“The Ethiopian army has successfully completed its mission in Somalia and it has been fully withdrawn. There is no armed presence in Somalia anymore. Our troops are fully in their own backyard at the moment,” Ethiopian Communications Minister Bereket Simon said later in the day.
He described the mission as 'successful' adding that “the major task to get rid of the extremist threat was accomplished in a swift way. We believe that the forces of instability led by the Eritrean government have been dealt a heavy blow by Ethiopia.”
He described the mission as 'successful' adding that “the major task to get rid of the extremist threat was accomplished in a swift way. We believe that the forces of instability led by the Eritrean government have been dealt a heavy blow by Ethiopia.”
As troops withdrew from around the Somali capital, Mogadishu, forces from different groups such as al-Shabab took control of bases the Ethiopians abandoned.
 Somali fighters relax at a base which formerly housed Ethiopian soldiers. |
Ethiopia deployed troops to neighboring Somalia in late 2006 to support the country's fragile Transitional Federal Government (TFG) against insurgents, who controlled most of the country but were later overthrown by the forces in early 2007.
This is while Addis Ababa on January 2 announced that it had started the final phase of its troop-pullout from war-torn Somalia. Ethiopia's withdrawal, however, has sparked security concerns in the war-ravaged country.
Since 1991, Somalia has not had a functioning national government and has been plagued by fighting and humanitarian crises.
Since 1991, Somalia has not had a functioning national government and has been plagued by fighting and humanitarian crises.
In recent years, ensuing instability, coupled with drought, high food prices as well as the collapse of the local currency have significantly worsened the dire humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa state.
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