Garowe Online (Garowe)
16 January 2008
A huge blast in Somalia's capital Mogadishu targeted an Ethiopian army convoy as it drove through a major intersection Wednesday, killing seven soldiers on board, witnesses reported.
The Ethiopian convoy left the old pasta factory when the hidden landmine exploded in Yaaqshiid district, targeting an army transport truck full of soldiers.
"I saw soldiers on the ground and many others shrieking...there was a lot of smoke," said witness Abdulkadir, who lives in the vicinity.
Ethiopian army reinforcements rushed to the scene and fired bullets into the air to disperse crowds. Unconfirmed reports said a young boy was wounded in the subsequent gunfire.
Today's deadly explosion follows fierce overnight battles in parts of Mogadishu, especially around Industry Road, where Somali-Ethiopian soldiers stand guard around the clock.
There were no confirmed reports on casualties from last night's battle, since most civilians have fled the area, but area residents told Garowe Online they could hear loud explosions and the ceaseless exchange of gunfire.
Suspected insurgents, armed with rockets and grenades, initiated two separate attacks on the same position, starting at around 7pm local time, sources said.
Government officials did not provide details from the battle, but one official privately claimed that government troops "killed some insurgents and captured others."
The Somali government and its Ethiopian military backers have faced a deadly insurgency in Mogadishu, where roadside bombings and rocket attacks have become common since the beginning of 2007.
Islamist fighters opposed to the presence of foreign troops have vowed to continue their hit-and-run attacks until Ethiopian troops withdraw from Somalia.
The bloody conflict has killed more than 6,000 civilians and displaced nearly 600,000 others, according to UN and aid agency figures.
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I read your respone, but you resist to know the reality. As an Ethiopian you are not supposed to think like this. Any how that is your idea, I respect it. But donot try to write on behafe of the people. Don't use the name of people, ethnicity and etc, for your political game. You can put your stand as you wish but "don't add us to your political dish". You know ethiopians are borned to win against any enemy. You can read history. Somali people are our brothers and sisters becouse they are our nighbours nothing more nothing less. People can not be the enemy of any people. May be one government can be the enemy of another government. UIC is the enemy of our country becouse they were trying to isolate our land to somali. This is illegal. Even if there is a wish from the people of ethiopian somalya to the somali it will not be through power, it must be through referendom. So, br0/sis come to your soul back. Religion does not have any think to do with the soverienighty of a nation. Think also ethiopian soliders are there not to watch foot ball. It is war, they can kill and be killed, no surprise!!! If refuse to know the truth good for you.
You have recommended us to read history. Which history? You mean the history written (but not made) by your Orthodox debteras? I have read a lot about Ethiopian history written by independent and true scholars. But I havenot seen any article about great military victory of Abisinians. That is a legend of 'deddeb'Abharas.
Obsaa,still you are writting based on religion. First make your self free from blind supporting and/or opposing. You know the history of a nation can be written by those who can write. By then, the ones who were write and read are "debtera". Your grandpa could not write a history becouse he were illitrate. Alright. Think about the victory of Adwa which is the source of proud for all Africans, think about the Turkish invantion, think about Yodit Gudit...think about the great Axumite empire which were as strong as the Roman empire by then and etc..Those who have identity crisis, like you, refused to know the truth. May God help you!!! Obsaa, don't confuse your self Abessinia does not belong to you. You can write if you have history. The above mentioned history, except one, does not include you. Can you tell me a name of a single scholar who denay the above history?haahhaha. If you are unable to understand history donot read.Becouse it will heart you. Best wishes for you and those who are concerned about you. Bye(Negatii)
This really shows the fate any inruding/invading foreign troop that forcefully occupied a given nation. The fate Ethiopian soldiers in Somalia is a great concern for those who thinks for the peaceful coexistance of brotherly nations. The Semetic dominated Ethiopian government is an arch foe of the Kushitic Somalia nations as Ethhiopia colonized part of Somali speaking in the Horn of Africa, Ogadenia. It is due to the fear of ONLF who is fighting for the liberation of Ogadenia that the TPLF regime in Ethiopia occupied Somalia by toppling down the UIC in Somalis last year. Not only this, a strong Somalia is assumed by the Abbysinian (Amhara -Tigrians)colonizers as a threat to perpetuating thier interest over the subject people of the Horn of Africa specially Oromo Somali, Afar and other nations and nationalities in the Southern Ethiopian Region.
So, we non-Abbysinians who have been colonized as the Somalis are opposing this act of occupation from the very beginning. We know that Somalia will never be colonized by the Abbysinians as they aspire it ot be.
So, victory over the occupation tropps will not be very far. United, all the colonized people of the Ethiopian Empire will troumph over the tyrannical rule of the Christian Abbysinians.
We oppressed people of the Horn should get together and fight our common enemies coming from the North.
Gadaa Bilisummaa