MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said on Wednesday Ethiopia had insisted on continued military presence in Somalia resulting in the collapse of the second round of Turkish-mediated talks with Mogadishu.
In comments on whether the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) will be part of a new AU mission scheduled to start operating in Somalia in January, Fiqi stressed that the “decision on AUSSOM contributing countries rests with Somalia.”
Speaking on Ethiopian government remarks that they had lost many soldiers in Somalia and cannot leave the country amid persistent threat of terrorism, Fiqi acknowledged that “many Ethiopians died for the peace of Somalia”, adding that Addis Ababa was also responsible for the killing of thousands of Somalis during its 2007-2008 military presence in Mogadishu.
“Similarly, 2007-2008 Ethiopian troops led by the Tigray regime killed more than 20,000 people here, they destroyed properties and assets in major towns like Mogadishu; 800K fled because of those troops,” he added.
Contact us: info@somaliguardian.com
