Somalia: Residents in Bakool back Ethiopian soldiers over Egyptian forces

WAJID, Somalia - Hundreds of residents of Hudur and Wajid towns in the Bakool, southern Somalia backed Ethiopian troops serving in the peacekeeping mission, lauding them for promoting peace and stability within the region, which is prone to Al-Shabaab attacks.

The Demonstrators carrying banners with slogans - "We don't want Egypt troops" backed the Ethiopian troops for sacrificing their blood in combating Al-Shabaab, viewing them as protectors of local security. The two towns are situated nearly 100 km away from the Ethiopian border. 

The crowd expressed opposition to the potential replacement of Ethiopian soldiers with Egyptian forces, fearing this change could destabilize the region further. Egypt is tipped to lead the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) starting January 2025.

The participants urged the Somali Federal Government to repair ties with Ethiopia rather than introduce new military elements that might complicate local issues. Officials in the town also sided with locals, condemning the involvement of Egyptian troops.

Omar Abdullahi, the District Commissioner, confirmed that the meeting with local elders resolved that the government should give Ethiopian soldiers a chance to continue leading peacekeeping missions in the region.

“We organized the meeting after a lot of concern from the public in Huddur on what the solution would be if Ethiopian troops were to leave Huddur, so we were expressing that concern with a loud voice to convey it to the [Somali] government,” he told Voice of America.

Egypt has not yet deployed troops in Somalia, but Somalia’s federal government wants Egypt to play a role new mission, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) that will operate in Somalia from January 2025, VOA adds.

Somali officials said they will not allow Ethiopia to participate in AUSSOM unless it cancels the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Addis signed with Somaliland. Ethiopia has participated in peacekeeping missions within Somalia since 2008.

The government of Somalia insists Ethiopia must respect its territorial integrity and sovereignty for any meaningful talks to take place. Already, Egypt has deployed its troops along Somalia’s 3,333 kilometers of coastline.

GAROWE ONLINE