Somalia: Troops deployment 'ok'
2007-01-11 11:42
New York - The United Nations security council backed the speedy deployment of African troops to Somalia and strongly supported a dialogue among all political players and humanitarian aid for the country.
Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin, the council president, said that members regarded Somalia as "a high priority matter" and were concerned about instability, security, and the humanitarian situation.
He said: "They expressed their support for the plan to send a humanitarian assessment mission to the border between Somalia and Kenya and spoke of the importance of adequate humanitarian support for Somalia.
"They strongly supported inclusive political dialogue among various political forces in Somalia. They favour speedy deployment of IGASOM", a new force to be set up by the African Union and a seven-nation regional group.
SA troops off to Somalia
Undersecretary-general for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari told reporters after briefing the council that Nigeria, South Africa and Malawi "are said to be considering sending troops" to Somalia.
He said: "We hope that these countries will actually go ahead and commit."
Somalia had not had a functioning government since clan-based warlords toppled dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and later turned on each other, sinking the Horn of Africa nation of seven million people into chaos.
The rout of the Islamic movement that controlled most of Somalia for the past six months by Somali government troops and Ethiopian soldiers had allowed the country's weak UN-backed transitional government to enter the capital, Mogadishu, for the first time since it was established in 2004.
But, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had expressed concern that US bombing in southern Somalia - which Washington said was aimed at fleeing al-Qaeda terrorists - could escalate hostilities and harm civilians who were reported to have been killed in the airstrikes.
US embassies bombed
United States deputy ambassador Jackie Sanders confirmed to the council that America had conducted an air strike against "a high-level" al-Qaeda leader, noting that al-Qaeda bombed the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
She said: "We have a long memory when it comes to terrorists killing innocent Americans, and in this case Africans, and in this case were going after those folks who were involved."
UN spokesperson Michele Montas said on Wednesday that despite the Somali government's support for Ethiopian troops and US operations, the secretary-general "still believes that it is in the best interests of all to avoid escalation and go back to a politically negotiated process."
She said: "He reiterates his appeal for all international actors to help Somalia reach stability and peace.
"And he is concerned, still, with civilian casualties resulting from recent developments. He believes that all foreign troops should withdraw and peace negotiations resume quickly."
- AP