BELETWEIN, Somalia Jan 28 (Garowe Online) – Ethiopian Woyanne troops backing Somalia’s transitional federal government withdrew from a key military base in the central regions on Monday, witnesses and residents said.
Since early 2007, the Ethiopian Woyanne army maintained a 1,000-strong garrison in a base east of Beletwein, the capital of the central Hiran region.
Ethiopian Woyanne army trucks were seen leaving the base on Monday and were reportedly heading west, towards the Somali-Ethiopian border.
The exact number of troops and trucks could not be confirmed, but our Beletwein correspondent reported that the army base was “completely vacant,” save for some “explosives material” that worried residents.
Three Somalis who were jailed by the Ethiopian Woyanne army at the base were also released.
Before leaving, the Ethiopian Woyanne commanders met privately with Hiran regional officials, including Governor Yusuf Daboged.
No report emerged from that meeting and Somali officials declined comment on these latest developments.
But the withdrawal of Ethiopian Woyanne forces from the Beletwein area coincides with increasing attacks on their position. The Ethiopian Woyanne army still maintains a small contingent in Kala-Beyr village, near the border, local sources said.
Last week, heavily-armed insurgents battled joint Somali-Ethiopian Woyanne forces in parts of Hiran region.
Meanwhile, targeted killings of Somali government officials continued when Hiran regional intelligence boss Mohamed Ali “Gabow” was shot and killed.
Witnesses said three men armed with pistols killed Mr. Gabow in front of a hotel in Beletwein town.
One civilian was wounded during the attack. The killers escaped before police arrived on the scene and began questioning potential witnesses.
No group has thus far claimed responsibility for the killing, but it becomes the first successful targeted killing of a government official in Hiran region.
Regional officials have been attacked several times, including Governor Daboged who was attacked at least two times in the past year.
Source: Ethiopian Woyanne News Agency
Merahabete, January 28, 2008 (Addis Ababa) – Two streets in Alem town of the Merhabete Woreda, North Shoa Zone of the Amhara State, are named after Prime Minister Monster Meles Zenawi and Founder and Chairman of Munschen fur Munschen, Karl Heinz Bohm as of 28 Jan. 2008.
The woreda administration named the two roads after the prominent personalities as part of the new Ethiopian millennium celebration in the woreda.
Chief of the woreda administration, Fishka Mulat, said on the occasion that the roads are named after the premier and the renowned philanthropist in recognition to their contributions toward the development of the nation in general and that of the woreda in particular.
Meanwhile, another road constructed at a cost of 4.5 million Birr in the woreda was named as ‘millennium road’.
Thousands of people in the woreda, government officials, and invited guests were in attendance at the celebration.
Source: ENA
Ethiopian Review conducted an interview with Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) spokesperson Dr Beyan Asoba on Saturday, January 26. Listen the interview here..
Ethiopian Review has learned that the two individuals who had been found hidden inside the storage compartment of an Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) jet at Dulles Airport in Virginia are members of the Oromo National Congress. According to ER sources, Ato Ashenafi Bekele and Ato Fikru were hired by EAL as cleaning workers recently. Both of them are high school graduates. They used such a desperate means to escape persecution after several of their friends were arrested recently by the Woyanne regime suspected of being members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). ER is trying to contact the two individuals and find out the status of their case with the U.S. authorities.
Intimidation and arrest of officials of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (Kinijit) intensifies. Today, Ato Alemayehu Yeneneh, Kinijit coordinator for the Southern Ethiopia, and Ato Girma Amare, an office staff member, have been arrested and taken to Woreda 20 police station. They were picked up by police from the office at 1:00 PM local time… more details later
Kinijit-Switzerland Paltalk Room will hold a panel discussion today (Monday), Jan 28 at 2:00 PM EST on the problems faced by Kinijit. The discussion will be aired live via Ethiopian Review Broadcasting Network starting at 2:00 PM.
