MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Ethiopia’s army chief, Birhanu Jula, has said that Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is unable to secure his seat of power in the capital, Mogadishu, and is ill-equipped to confront Ethiopia, in sharp comments that reflect the escalating tensions between the two countries.
“Hassan Sheikh is not capable of fighting. He must first secure Mogadishu before he can even consider confronting us. He should first secure his seat,” Jula said in a new interview.
In response to the Somali government’s threats to support Ethiopian rebels, Jula stressed that Addis Ababa has allies in Somalia who will thwart such actions and are prepared to attack Ethiopian rebels if they are welcomed there.
“If there is someone who receives assistance from foreign forces trying to meddle in our internal issues through supporting rebels and sending us into civil war and attacking one’s own country, they are a traitor,” Ethiopian army chief remarked.
“Now he is saying he will support our traitors. We don’t need traitors in Somalia, as we have friends there. We have friends who would tell him no and who would attack the movements,” he added.
Mr. Jula warned that if Somalia were to support Ethiopian rebels, Addis Ababa would retaliate by rallying its allies within the country to oppose the Somali government.
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