Posted on 12/28/2006 6:28:18 AM PST by meg88
MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Triumphant Somali government forces marched into Mogadishu on Thursday after Islamist rivals abandoned the war-scarred city they held for six months before an Ethiopian-backed advance.
The flight of the Islamists was a dramatic turn-around in the volatile Horn of Africa nation after they took Mogadishu in June and spread across the south imposing sharia rule.
Terrified of yet more violence in a city that has become a byword for chaos, some Mogadishu residents greeted the arriving government troops, while others hid. Photo
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"People are cheering as they wave flowers to the troops," said resident Abdikadar Abdulle, adding scores of government military vehicles had passed the Somalia National University west of the city center.
Parts of Mogadishu shook with the sound of gunfire and there were outbreaks of looting after leaders of the Somalia Islamic Courts Council (SICC) fled its base early in the morning. Some fighters ditched their uniforms to avoid reprisals.
"We have been defeated. I have removed my uniform. Most of my comrades have also changed into civilian clothes," one former SICC fighter told Reuters. "Most of our leaders have fled."
The fall of Mogadishu came about 10 days after the Islamists sought to march on the government base of Baidoa. That prompted Ethiopia to come openly into the war, proving the decisive factor in saving the government and pushing back the Islamists.
GRRRREAT NEWS! Thanks for posting.
I hope Clinton's not advising the Ethiopians to give it back in a few months.
Any chance the Ethopians want to take a holiday to Iran?
Not only do they have the Islamists on the run, but they did this without any "assistance" from the UN. Good for them, and good for the Ethiopians.
What? No stories about all the "wedding parties" being interrupted and shot up or bombed? No "baby milk factory" destruction? Where's the ACLU on this? (Yes, it's sarcasm. We need to learn how to fight a war Ethiopian style.)
Watch the UN issue a resolution condemning the Ethiopians for their "unilateralism."
So far, Ethiopia has proven to be a better ally in the war on terror than the French, the Chinese, the Russians, or pretty much any of the non-Anglo 'great powers'. Hopefully, we're smart enough to recognize and assist their efforts.
Now...how to handle the subsequent terrorism?
I'm beginning to wonder whether our MSM (television) is not reporting this because it casts the Islamists in a negative light. I know that's a harsh assessment, but why am I only seeing the story on BBC?
Maybe the Ethiopians can look east and clean up Sudan next! :)
I would guess that W has advisors somewhere within the advancing force.
There is too much at stake not to offer whatever assistance can be tendered.
so what this tells me is negotiations, talks, trying to "understand" the islamists didn't work, but when they're threatened with true violence aimed in thier directon they cower, run and hide??
doesn't this go directly against how the rest of the world says we should deal with islamic fanatics? (AND prove violence is the only thing they understand??)
No, what prompted Ethiopia to wage war was the declaration of war against them by the Islamderthals.
The Ethiopians believed their enemy meant it, so responded in the only manner Islamderthals understand.
I would think the opportunity to report on this non-PC battle would trump all reasons to report, but I think this battle was way too dangerous for regular chicken-shiite reporters. No guarantees for your safety if you try to embed with these government troops.
CIA & SPL OPS
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