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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Ethiopia completes Somali pullout | Ethiopia completes Somali pullout |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Ethiopia says it has completed the withdrawal of its troops from Somalia, two years after entering the country to fight Islamist insurgents. | Ethiopia says it has completed the withdrawal of its troops from Somalia, two years after entering the country to fight Islamist insurgents. |
| Ethiopia's information minister told the BBC that the 3,000-strong force had ended the threat from the Islamists. | Ethiopia's information minister told the BBC that the 3,000-strong force had ended the threat from the Islamists. |
| He said the troops had left Somalia, including the town of Baidoa from where the Somali government operates. | He said the troops had left Somalia, including the town of Baidoa from where the Somali government operates. |
| However a BBC reporter in Somalia quotes locals in Baidoa as saying that Ethiopians remain in barracks there. | |
| Olad Hassan in Mogadishu said his information came from police officers, regional officials and local people. | |
| But he confirmed that Ethiopian forces had pulled out of the capital, Mogadishu and other areas of southern Somalia. | |
| Correspondents say the Islamists and other militia have won back much of the land lost to the Ethiopians in 2006. | Correspondents say the Islamists and other militia have won back much of the land lost to the Ethiopians in 2006. |
| Addis Ababa announced late last year that it would fully withdraw from Somalia by the first days of 2009, ending its mission to help the interim Somali government. | Addis Ababa announced late last year that it would fully withdraw from Somalia by the first days of 2009, ending its mission to help the interim Somali government. |
| Somalia has not had an effective national government since 1991. | Somalia has not had an effective national government since 1991. |
| About 3,400 African Union peacekeepers are taking up positions in Somalia vacated by the Ethiopians, amid concerns that Ethiopia's withdrawal could lead to further instability. | About 3,400 African Union peacekeepers are taking up positions in Somalia vacated by the Ethiopians, amid concerns that Ethiopia's withdrawal could lead to further instability. |
| Government forces only control parts of Mogadishu and the town of Baidoa. | Government forces only control parts of Mogadishu and the town of Baidoa. |
| Power-sharing | Power-sharing |
| But Ethiopian Information Minister Bereket Simon said that the extremists, known as al-Shabaab, had been so weakened they were no longer an effective force. | But Ethiopian Information Minister Bereket Simon said that the extremists, known as al-Shabaab, had been so weakened they were no longer an effective force. |
| He said a recent suicide attack was proof that the organisation had "turned into a small terrorist group who cannot attain their goals in a democratic, peaceful and civilised way". | He said a recent suicide attack was proof that the organisation had "turned into a small terrorist group who cannot attain their goals in a democratic, peaceful and civilised way". |
| Meanwhile power-sharing talks have been continuing in Djibouti between the government and moderate Islamists, including the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS). | Meanwhile power-sharing talks have been continuing in Djibouti between the government and moderate Islamists, including the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS). |
| They are trying to agree on the formation of an expanded parliament - from 275 seats to 550 - to include the opposition, and how to select a new president. | They are trying to agree on the formation of an expanded parliament - from 275 seats to 550 - to include the opposition, and how to select a new president. |
| Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the leader of ARS, said Somalia had to take the "historic opportunity" to correct "past mistakes". | Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the leader of ARS, said Somalia had to take the "historic opportunity" to correct "past mistakes". |
| "There's no excuse for Somalis to kill each other," he said. | "There's no excuse for Somalis to kill each other," he said. |