The Reporter (Addis Ababa)
17 November 2007
A web site, reportedly owned by the Al-Shabab group of Somalia has posted a 24 minute recording of what is said to be the voice of its hiding leader Aden Hashi Ayro, who has called for attacks on African Union troops and expressed his wishes of someday beheading women and children in Addis Ababa.
Ayro, according to intelligence sources is an afghan trained assassin who is also an expert in insurgency tactics.
His statement comes as Nigeria is preparing to send its troops to join an already existing Ugandan contingent.
The spokesman for the Ugandan army dismissed Ayro's threat during an interview with the VOA maintaining that Uganda's 1,600 peacekeeping troops in Somalia will stay in the capital Mogadishu and defend themselves against any attack by militant Somali Islamists.
"For us, it will not make us run away. We have maintained a neutral stance, so it will not change our position. However, should we get targeted, as they have done before, we shall defend ourselves."
There has been a rise in insurgency in Mogadishu following the formation in Asmara of an alliance of elements opposed to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).
Last week a significant number of civilians were killed during a gun battle that followed an attack on Ethiopian troops backing the TFG.
Ethiopia has denied that it had targeted civilians as retribution for the mutilation and dragging of the bodies of its soldiers.
Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin told the BBC that the insurgents were responsible for the death of the civilians as they were using them as human shields.
"..Our army is very disciplined and they are there to do their duty. They have not gone there to drink milk but to help Somalia achieve peace and stability." Seyoum told the BBC in London.
Meanwhile, Egypt's Foreign Ministry posted a statement calling for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops whom it said were responsible for escalating tensions in Somalia.
"The spokesman [for Egypt's Ministry of Forein Affairs]...highlighted Egypt's call for all relevant regional and International parties, as well as the United Nations, the African Union, the Arab League and the International Contact Group to seek quick alternatives for promoting peace, and stability in Somalia, and hasten the pullout of Ethiopian troops which have become a major source of internal tensions, and part of the problem," a statement on the official web page of Egypt's Foreign Ministry said.
While there has so far been no official reaction from the Ethiopian side, sources close to government however have characterized the statement as "one that has no constructive contribution in Somalia as well as the region."
"Egypt naturally is expected to play a role that will bring solutions to the problem, but such statements are not the way to go about it." the sources said.
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