Africa
Ethiopia battles two rebels across two borders
February 27, 2011 · 34 Comments
NAIROBI — The Ethiopian army is fighting two rebels in two different borders as it tries to secure its border towns.
Ethiopian troops supporting Somalia’s weak transitional forces have been battling al-Shabab insurgents for the past week in the town of Beled-hawo, near the Somalia-Ethiopia-Kenya border.
The fighting erupted early hours of Wednesday when Ethiopia tried to fairwell more than 2,000 Somali police across the border. They have been receiving training in Ethiopia since 2009. Minutes after their deployment they came under attack from heavily-armed al-shabab insurgents.
The Ethiopian army, who pitched camp out side the town were drawn into the battle when the Somali police retreated back into the Ethiopian border. The Ethiopians fired missiles and heavy artillery but were met with heavy resistance.
The fighting eventually spilled over to the Kenyan side, reaching the town of Mandera, where at least six Kenyans were hurt including two soldiers. Reports also suggest most Kenyan police, customs and other officials have fled from the town. Residents on the Kenyan side say they are terrified and they could hear the sound of gunfire all day and throughout the night.
The Kenyan government said it was monitoring the situation and it placed battalion of its armed forces on standby but sources on the ground say the Kenyan forces have retreated.
Ethiopian rebels mark their positions near Moyale, July 19, 2009 (Reuters/Yaska).
More than 300 Somalis fleeing the al-Shabab offensive crossed the Kenyan border.
The Ethiopian troops along with the 2,000 Somali police and other Somali forces are still stranded on the Ethiopian side of the border in the village of Suftu. However, unverified reports suggest the Ethiopian troops have retreated to the Kenyan border as well. Kenya is yet to deploy its own forces and it has not commented on the Ethiopian incursion into its territory.
In a similar development, the Ethiopian forces supported by Kenyan troops have managed to arrest more than 110 leftist guerrillas belonging to Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). The arrests were made in the border town of Moyale.
The operation follows a recent agreement between two nations in which they inked to mop up illegal arms, goods and other threats.
According to Nairobi-based The Daily, the arrests include 45 rebel commanders while grenades, missiles and guns were seized.
Rights group worry some of the detainees could include asylum seekers and refugees belonging to the Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group.
OLF was established in 1973 and has been fighting for greater autonomy in ethnically Oromo parts of Ethiopia. The rebels often operates in the south of this vast Horn of Africa nation but are also accused of carrying attacks inside Addis Ababa. The Meles government claims it has dismantled the group.
Somalilandpress | 27 Feb 2011
Email this story
Tags: Al shabab, beled-hawo, Ethiopia, Kenya, OLF, Somalia
Readers Comments (34)
Somaliland
Somaliland gives 17 the death penalty, 5 jail terms
HARGEISA — A military tribunal in Hargeisa has sentenced more than 17 civilians to death by firing squad over the killing of three policemen. The ruling ...
SOMALILAND: 1100 teachers complete teacher training courses
HARGEISA – Vice-President Abdulrahman A. Ismail on Tuesday congratulated more than 1,100 teachers who concluded school-based teacher training courses in the capital. Teachers from universities, secondary ...
Somaliland: Africa’s unofficial country
HARGEISA — Most local banknotes in Somaliland are only worth pennies, so a brick of money is usually needed to buy a meal of camel ...
Somaliland:VP meets World Bank Officials
Somaliland Vice President Hon Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismael (saylici) has met with a delegation from the World Bank who are currently in the country ...
SOMALILAND: Land dispute leaves seven dead and scores wounded
- UPDATED HARGEISA — In a gory fallout of a dispute over land, at least four civilians were shot by armed security forces in the capital’s ...
Your Say
Dr Jowhar: We lost a friend, a Hero
Jama Musse Jama A tribute to a true patriot Abdishakur passed away on May 13, 2012 in a car accident at Tulli village, between Dilla and Borama ...
- Why Hiil Qaran Party Will Not Have a Significant Impact on the Politics of Somalia
- Sunday 20 May: Join in Commemorating late Dr Jowhar
- Qurbomeer State should stop smearing the reputation of Lula A Osman
- May 18: Somaliland Independence Day – Message from Islamabad
- When will Somaliland people know that their choices determine their destiny
- What does the Somaliland flag really represent?
- Somaliland: Istanbul is not the end of the world
- Do Muslims in the West need funeral covers?
- Are the Somali Unionists’ Predictions on Somaliland’s Collapse Crumbling under their Feet?
- Open letter to the People of Qatar & their Government
GEESI LOO HANWEYNAA – A tribute to my hero Dr. Jowhar
Hearing of the death of Dr. Abdishakur Sh. Ali Jowhar struck me as a thunderbolt out of the blue. At no time can one be ...
10 Years after Timor’s Independence, Where Is the Justice?
OPINION | May 16, 2012 John M. Miller The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) congratulated the people of Timor-Leste as they prepared to celebrate the ...
its media game no fight in the area its just divert attention i am a witness
The Somalis are always better fighters than the Ethiopians, no doubt. I'm from Ethiopia myself but I am an ethnic Somali who does not support Somali region to join Somalia but time and time again, the Ethiopian "army" can not crash few Somali militants such as ONLF, Al Shabaab. This is evidence from the fact that Oromo are 20 times larger than the Somalis but if you google OLF, you will get few results and few links, if you google ONLF its clear their message is every where.
Not only that, the ONLF is more threat than OLF and any other Ethiopian rebel.
Also today we can see Ethiopian army and 2000 Somali police can not pass few Al shabab fighters, they have no choice but to retrain those 2000 men or Meles can keep them for the future Ethiopian protests thats coming after the Arabs.
The Kenyans are hopeless lets not even mention them they have fled from the town. Al shabaab crossed into kenya many times and even collected taxes.
Somalis are divided but they are the biggest warriors in Africa. If Oromos can fight like Somalis they would be free long time ago, remember Ethiopia invaded Mogadishu but few Al Shabaabs slaughtered them on the streets. Somalis had been in war for 20 years, no weapons, no training, just war. Ethiopia is soon going to become victim of Somalis, soon or later, they know it too. Somalis know war. I am joining them no more Meles.
jay , stop dreaming……..don't make me start
It has been known already most of you are terriorist, and also known all is supporting the great somalia. Ethiopia is the great country in all Africa and the leader of Africa. Whatever you are saying we dont care of that, if you try to invade us we know how to defence and we are always the winner. I am sure you knew what we did the last time with different coutries. We defeted Italy, Ziad Barie also; who was ur legend. We are waiting for Egypt, a country that you give high position. Thanks to God we are always a winner.
Only history can tell the Somali Position in the Horn, but you Samuel cannot even represent the true Ethiopians. am sure you are very cheap Woyane Propagandist and you doing not deserve to say anything about Somalia or Ethiopia.
People you all need to know that Ethiopia is a great country, and will always be great, no matter what few haters from somalia who can't even control their people, you people from somalia always don't want other nations to do well. Look at somaliland how they became one of the great nations in Africa, somalia dosnt want somaliland to do well, Ethiopia and somaliland will soon put order in the east afriaca region. Somalilanders are somalies but higher class and well educated people, but people from somalia are somalies who are haters don't want to see other nations do well. God bless Ethiopia and god bless somaliland.
Somali is the only country to who can beat Ethio in africa,,they did so in 1977 ,,,almost reached Adis when Russia send Cuba to defend Ethio….check your facts..7 million somalis agains 70 mill ethio,,,its crazy
yaa….sami…are you dreaming …we can't defeat Egypt..haven't u seen there courage to step down Mubarak…they are great people like their history…we Ethiopians….are slapped by meles…and his regime …
you are 10000% right somalis are known for their fighting and their bravery. thank allah that he give us sooo much alhamdulilaah
By name you are Ethiopian somali, supporter of the great somali and at the same you are living in Ethiopia; jijiga.
whatever you want be sure that you will not get anything from Ethiopia like free of ONLF. Dont dream it we have all the responses and we know how to defeat. I dont know why you said Ethiopia cant crash ONLF and Al shabab, already we crashed them in thier own country and ONLF almost getting weak and more weak time to time.
Thanks Lord! Keep Ethiopia safe!
say what ever you like but am sure the days of Woyane role in Ethiopia are counted and all the People in the Horn of Africa Will be free.
No doubt Somali people know war, but we have never been TRULY united! Even under the old said barre regime and the one before that in 1969, Somali people have always been selfish. I'm being honest!
We fight on the Clan level, and if we got that in common then Sub clan level and finally when all else fails we say "RAR THIS AND RAR THAT!" We are ALL hypocrites! We use Islam and the idea of Somaliweyne to promote our own selfish agendas – monetary and tribal.
I think what explains it all is good education and governments of good governance.
The Somalis never experienced good governments since Independence. Maybe this
taking shape begins from the Kulmiye's Govt. Hopefully if Somaliland succeeds there is
the possiblity that Somalia might follow suit to emulate. Let's remain optimistically focused.
Cheers.
All the Somali lovers …Being a terrorist doesn't make you a fighter…It makes you a looser that is afraid of a fair warfare…Hiding in the skirts of your women and firing into your enemy you thought you would win against Ethiopia…You somewhat succeeded against the U.S in the 90's because the U.S is a discipline army that didn't fire back at the fire that was coming from the skirts of your women…but Ethiopia changed the rule when they went to your city and you thought you could do the same they beat you at your own game…Listen all you Fraud Somali pirates…Siad Barre failed to win the war..basically had to beg for the war to stop in the 80's and now you were left to beg ethiopia to come and install a government for you… Respect your mightier neighbor in Ethiopia..for it doesn't want war but to be left alone…Hayenna when hungry starts eating itself from the tail..(look it up ..its true)..Somalis would do the same when left alone..so we dont need war…you will eat each other…Just remember…ETHIOPIA has NEVER lost a war…
Our women dont wear skirts my friend, it actually ethiopian women who wear min-skirts and are filled with STDs and AIDS…stay away please.
I love the time all Africans are coming together and to be United States of Africa rather than fighting each other. All my African brothers and sisters, please think further. Whether Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, we are African brothers and sisters, don't listen to our politicians who don't have a capacity to lead this generation.They are still thinking like our for-fathers.
this video is older than 6 months
people are uniting to get rid of tyrany. forget borders. They only bring tyrants in the name of nationalism.
Go ahead with your loose cannon. Somalia is in pretty bad shape and all the neighborly parasites have
a good sports hunting campaigns to meddle in the affairs of this poorly governed country. Surely
history is on your side for now.
Cheers.
Instead of al this war-trash talking africans should concentrate on how to produce and substaine their economy. Remember africa is nether the great Imperial Germany or Japan. So go back to you farms and start working.
I strongly advise the ethopian goverment to work on peace because ethopia is a landlocked country and needs ports which its neighbours have. Ethopia has also a massive population surplus in only 20 years its total popluation has reached over todays 80 million . With over 50 percent under the age of 35. all those people need job,schooling etc. And if the Gov. does not provide expect a Mubarak like regime fall.
So don't lie to yourself's facts are out their and lies are too but the truth will always come out.
Ethio was recently destroyed by eritrea, ogaden will get their land back so will the oromo. And on top of this remember that you are surrounded by your enemies and you are land locked.
As a somalilander I hope we wake up and ensure we block you from berbera so you starve. FInally remember this somalis will always unite to defeat even if we have been fighting for years amongst each other.
Behind every cloud is a silver lining
VIVA somaliland, somalia, puntland, djibouti, ogaden
You are not a somalilander! are u? because as far as know Ethio adn s/land more or less has good relationship. Under the new leader of s/land, i think the two countries are working to integrate their economy for the better of their people.
I guess the future is good for the two sisterly countries…but not for u!
@Alula, Samuel Tafesse
1. LOST TO ERITREA
2. LOST TO AHMED GURY also known as Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi (called the Portuguese for help, but still lost)
3. LOST TO SOMALIA, but won with the Aid of Russia, Libya, Yemen and Cuba.
@sosi
You claim to practice christianity, but Ethiopians have been oppressing Somali and Oromo muslims for centuries. You deprive the Oromo from education, development and the basic right to prosper. All this is to ensure the Oromo(Ethiopian Muslim Majority) and the Somali Ogadens don't DEMOCRATICALLY take over your country. Please do not speak to US about religion, Justice and morality when you people are on par with KKKs.
@Gashie
The majority of Somalis and Oromo do not preach terrorism, but we all have ONE thing is common – United home land for the Muslims. Despite the Oromo being the majority in Ethiopia they have been abused, killed and treated like crap. The ethnic Somalis also feel the same way. So as a neighbouring country you must realize that corruption in any country can not last. For example, Tunisia, Egypt, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Bahrain etc. Ethiopia is not different. The ruling party has 2 choices and both are bad for Christian tribes. 1) Continue to oppress the majority and risk eventual collapse or 2) empower the Muslim majority and risk being ruled forever (Oromo + Ogaden = unbeatable voting majority).
Good on ya mr.Warya!! Destiny is with us.
Here he comes another person of the old 19th century thinker. Please every country has its own homework to do. But we can focus on building economic relation and trade alone. the rest should be left to the respective countries!
It would seem that Ethiopian Regime plays the actor film director role model in the politics
of the East African countries although more so in the Somalis affairs for obvious reasons.
despite such policies in place however all the even and heavy handed conflicting complexities
surrounding the Igad belt countries in particular and East African countries in general are so huge
that does not exempt anyone of these interrelated geopolitical fixtures. In fact Ethiopia who by virtue
of her religious ideologies gains proxy help may well sober herself that things will not always remain one
colour and BTW Ethiopian clanish diversities are difficult to rule and could possibly explode at any time
spin. The only more safety way out for the Tigray Regime to sustain long term power rule is to politically
lockup with the Somaliland Republic who also has similar revolutionary victory history ousting
the Somalia Govt in 1991 like the TPLF & EPLF…with the ONLF OLF left in the cold garbage.
Cheers.
I read all of your ideas. But I found nothing relevant what you are talking about. You allmust be simply useless and selfish even You do know what does you mean by "war". You get the chance and made time to play with ideas and politics of Ethiopia and Somalia. All of you are useless and rubish. Sorry for I am 100% sure all of you are under 35 meaning under aged sucking the wealth of Ethiopian or Somalia.
You should be ashamed of not having a state and rule of law for over two decades. A stateless country in the world, the most violent in the world, etc. A nation known for robey, piratism, murder etc and etc. Does this make you proud?
you should be ashamed ,your people are the pooorestin africa and your people and children are starving to death. are you proud of your starving people
I don't think anyone is proud of problems we have including endless wars, clan fighting, stateless people and refugees around the globe but we are proud as Allah made us a Muslim African. Problems do happened around the world and we are not the only people who got the problems. Instead we will come through this one day and become better than other Countries who are doing good right now. We don't even need to fight our neighbors like Ethopia and peace should be our goals;however, Somali people won't be dimonated by others even at the time they have no government. If what happened in Somalia happened other countries, they wouldn't even exsisted by now.
thank you lets begin to admit our problems and solve it step by step. Every people has the potential to be great. And i hope, one day, not only the Somalis but also other East African countries could be prosperous and peaceful.
The extraordinary events of the Old Somalia Republic since1st july 1960 unto the current is that
when the southern Somalia leadership was always a mafia orientated in their political delusions
their northern Somaliland was on the most part the defenders of the Somalis good phases.
After whatsoever happened look at now the difference of two somaliland Somalia in the world
IC stages. I hope MR. Thomas at least sobers to the good side of the Somalis.
Cheers.
people from somalia need to stop all this war and alshabab, because is not helping them what so ever, your men and women are displaced every where in somaliland, ethiopia, kanya, and jaboti. do it for your people do it for your mum and children. stop this war and focus on the good side of things. and leave somalialnd alone as well you people from somaslia please wake up, you guys are not winning anything just destroying your own country