AU: Ethiopia must pull out
2006-12-28 09:09
Addis Ababa - The African Union (AU) told Ethiopia on Wednesday to pull out thousands of its troops from Somalia, where they are fighting alongside pro-government forces, "without delay".
"We are calling for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops without delay," AU Commission chairman Alpha Omar Konare said in the body's headquarters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
"We appeal to all parties to cease hostilities without delay and resume dialogue that started in Khartoum under the aegis of the Arab League, the AU and Igad," Konare said at the end of an AU and Arab League meeting here.
Earlier, the Arab League made a similar call after an emergency meeting in Cairo, warning that the conflict pitting Ethiopians and government fighters against a powerful Islamist movement could "threaten the peace and stability of the Horn of Africa".
Fighting between two sides erupted
The calls came after allied Ethiopian-Somali forces captured a key town north of Mogadishu and drove out its Islamist controllers on the eighth day of heavy fighting and were reportedly heading south.
Fighting between the two sides erupted last week after the Islamists, who had demanded the withdrawal of Ethiopia troops from Somalia, launched an attack on the seat of the interim government in the southern central town of Baidoa.
Arab League-mediated peace talks collapsed in Khartoum last month after the Islamists, who have taken control of much of southern and central Somalia since June, refused to meet the government until the Ethiopian troops pulled out.
Key powers pressing for ceasefire
In New York, the UN security council late on Tuesday failed to agree on calling for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Somalia with key powers pressing for a ceasefire and a resumption of dialogue between warring Somali parties.
Washington, which accuses the Islamists of links to Al-Qaeda, put its weight behind Addis Ababa, but called on its regional anti-terrorism ally to exercise "maximum restraint".
Regional peacemaker Kenya, which helped form the Somali government in 2004, asked Ethiopia to cease military operations, as it announced plans to organise a regional meeting to discuss the escalation of the conflict in Somalia.
Somalia's northern neighbour Djibouti, where US and French troops have bases, also called for Ethiopia to pull out to avoid more escalation.