From: Stasi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Xinhua: Hundreds of Ethiopian Troops Moves Into Somalia: Eyewitnesses HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- Monday, January 07, 2002 9:22 PM Hundreds of Ethiopian Troops Moves Into Somalia: Eyewitnesses -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xinhuanet 2002-01-07 22:51:44 MOGADISHU, January 7 (Xinhuanet) -- As the fear increases in Somalia that the United States might be setting up its plans to strike Somalia sometime soon as a part of its war against the international terrorism, the government of Ethiopia is also increasing its military presence in the Horn of African nation. The last of such activity is the arrival on Sunday night of a few hundred well-armed Ethiopian military men into the town of Garoweh, the capital of the semi-autonomous administration of Puntland. According to eyewitnesses in Garoweh town, the Ethiopian forces have reached the town shortly after Sunday's mid night. One of the eyewitnesses, a businessman who asked not to be named, said he could not figure out the exact number of the Ethiopian troops who reached Garoweh town Sunday night. But the man said he has seen 12 big trucks transporting uniformed infantry troops, more than 4 battle wagons together with two more lorries apparently carrying with them the fuel, ammunition and spare parts. The new military movement of Ethiopia seems to be concentrated in Puntland and in Bay region. Similar number of Ethiopian troops is currently in Baidoa town. Officials of the Ethiopian-backed Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) have admitted the Ethiopian military presence in Bay region. But in Garoweh town, the ousted president Colonel Abdullahi Yussuf keeps denying that there are Ethiopian troops there. There is also no official confirmation of Ethiopian military presence in Somalia from the Ethiopian side so far. According to reports reaching here, the Ethiopian troops who earlier opened a training camp for the SRRC militias have again opened one more camp in Daynunay, just outside the town. With the hearsay that America is going to strike Somalia, many people believe that Ethiopia is planning itself to lead what could be the "northern alliance of Somalia" by training Somali militias opposing to the current Transitional National Government. However, Somali Prime Minister Hassan Abshir Farah has denied rumors, saying that America is paying 200 U.S. dollars for each militiamen to be trained by the Ethiopians in Bay region. "The U.S. has been with us in Nairobi for the reconciliation between our government and some of the factions opposing to us," he said. Enditem _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
