MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s government has given permission for the deployment of thousands of fresh Ethiopian troops in Hiran region to help the scheduled of withdrawal about 500 soldiers from the neighboring country, who are operating under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), Caasimada Online news website reported on Wednesday.
Ethiopian troops stationed in the town of Mahas are set to leave and hand over their base to Somali security forces as part of the third phase of ATMIS drawdown.
Addis Ababa reportedly wrote to Somalia’s government, asking for permission to cross its troops from the border to help secure roads that its peacekeepers will use to exit Mahas town.
Residents in Hiran reported spotting about 6,000 Ethiopian troops with military trucks and armored vehicles heading to Mahas, but questions have since swirled around the motive behind the deployment of such a large number of troops to help the pullout of only 500 military personnel in a relatively calm area.
It comes weeks after Somalia’s government accused Ethiopia of sending thousands of its troops to the region without permission as tensions still simmer over Addis Ababa’s controversial sea access with the breakaway region of Somaliland.
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