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| Africa Horn | |
| Islamists Accused Of Exploiting Ethiopian Troop Claim | |
| 2006-06-19 | |
| Mogadishu, 19 June (AKI) - The president of Somalia's priovisional government, Abdallah Yusuf Ahmed, has accused Islamist fighters of using reports of the presence of Ethiopian troops in the country as an excuse to conquer more territory. "That of the entry into Somalia of Ethiopian troops is just a pretext for the Islamic Courts to advance their march - even on Baidoa," said Yusuf Ahmed, referring to the town where the provisional government is based, told the Arab network Al Jazeera. However, the president said he was willing to negotiate with the Islamic courts who last week gained control of the capital Mogadishu driving out militiamen of a warlords coalition. He added that before talks could take place, the Islamic courts would have to halt their military advance on other towns and cities and recognise "the legitimacy of our government to co-operate with the national institutions and lay down their weapons". But the leader of the Islamic courts, Ahmad Sherif, appears to have rejected the overtures. "We are the one who should be setting the conditions for dialogue, even if we won't do it in order to safeguards our national interest," the Islamist leader told the BBC.
Sherif reiterated his opposition to a document approved by the provisional parliament in Baidoa requesting that foreign troops be dispatched to Somalia. He also said that if Ethiopian troops did not withdraw from the country, he would consider ordering his fighters to attack Baidoa. | |
| Posted by:Steve |