(SomaliNet) Ethiopia is standing fast by its decision to withdraw all 3,000 of its troops from Somalia before the end of the year. Ethiopia refused to honour a request by the African Union (AU) that it continue to support Somali troops in their struggle against criminal gangs and Islamist and nationalist rebels, at least until AU peacekeeping reinforcements arrive.
| Easier to pull out, give the Islamic Court six months to come back and declare themselves, and then stomp the IC all over again ... |
| Besides which, the "government" more closely resembles an armed kindergarten. |
The AU's Peace and Security Council says the situation in Somalia is becoming more and more alarming, in large part due to the increased activity of Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden.
The African Union is currently meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to discuss other crisis points in the continent; in particular, the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. |