Somali gov't says no Ethiopian troops on its soil

Somali gov't says no Ethiopian troops on its soil
 The Somali government on Tuesday said no Ethiopian forces have crossed into its territory to fight Al-Shabaab militants and that such a move would require its consent.

"We know of no troops from Ethiopian coming into tour side of the border between our two countries. Such deployment requires our consent and we have not such request," Abdirahman Omar Osman, Somali government spokesman, told Xinhua.

Osman, however, said his government welcomes international backing of its own fight against rebel fighters in Somalia.

Residents in the central Somali provinces of Hiran and Galgaduud said dozens of trucks full of Ethiopian troops have crossed the common border with Somalia and set up a base in the town of Guriel.

Ethiopia denies the allegations, saying such a decision has not been taken by Addis Ababa.

Al-Shabaab earlier vowed to fight both Ethiopian and Kenyan troops, calling on people in areas under their control to take up arms against what they termed as "invading foreign crusaders."

Reports from central Somalia say that the rebel fighters have begun abandoning their bases and melting away in the general population as Ethiopian troops were increasingly moving along the long and porous border between the two countries.

"The fighters have vanished. They left their checkpoints in and around the town but the Ethiopians have not arrived here yet," said resident Ilyas Muse in Beledweyne town in central Somalia.

Ethiopian troops have been reported around the Kalabayrka area on the outskirts of the border town of Beledweyn, which is run by rebels, but has been fiercely contested by opposing groups.

Ethiopian troops ended two-year presence in 2009 after crushing warlords in southern Somalia who opposed the weak Somali government. The rebels have attempted to make a comeback ever since.

Al-Shabaab is currently facing a joint military operation by Somali and Kenyan troops in the southern part of the Horn of Africa country. A number of towns have been taken from the group in the offensive launched in October. The advance is now hampered by heavy rains and subsequent muddy terrain.

Editor: Bi Mingxin

English.news.cn   2011-11-22 15:13:33 FeedbackPrintRSS
MOGADISHU, Nov. 22 (Xinhua)