By Mustafa Haji Abdinur
Masked Islamist insurgents on pick-up trucks paraded what they said were the bodies of three Ethiopian Woyanne soldiers in the streets of Mogadishu Friday, an AFP correspondent reported.
The show of defiance by the Shabab, the radical armed wing of the main Somali Islamist movement, came as a four-day lull was shattered by renewed fighting in the capital’s southern neighbourhoods.
“We will keep killing them until they get out of our country,” said one of the gun-toting insurgents, shouting from the back of pick-up, the kind that has become a symbol of Somalia’s 17-year-old lawlessness.
His face hidden behind a red turban, the Islamist fighter and his two fellow insurgents toured the southern Barua district for several minutes with their gruesome trophy.
“The people who invaded our country are dying every day in the fighting,” an AFP reporter heard the man shout.
Witnesses confirmed an artillery duel between Ethiopian Woyanne forces and insurgents in the nearby Gupta neighbourhood, in the first night marred by major clashes since Ali Mohamed Gedi resigned from the premiership on Monday.
According to witnesses, the latest spate of attacks in the restive seaside capital left four Ethiopian Woyanne troops, two civilians and an insurgent dead. The death toll could not be immediately confirmed by medical sources.
Residents said at least one Ethiopian Woyanne soldier was killed when raiding suspected Islamist insurgent hideouts in southern Mogadishu’s Al-Baraka neighbourhood.
“I have seen the body of an Ethiopian Woyanne soldier at Al-Baraka junction… Another soldier was wounded in the leg,” said a resident who requested anonymity for fear of retribution.
“A man selling petrol near the junction was hit by a stray bullet and another was shot by Ethiopian Woyanne forces as he tried to escape,” said Mohamed Ali, another resident.
Ethiopian Woyanne troops have been venturing deeper into the streets of Islamist bastions in recent days, in abid to break the back of an insurgency that has plagued efforts to stabilise the transitional government for months.
The Ethiopian Woyanne army came to the rescue of the embattled Somali government last year to oust an Islamist militia that briefly controlled large parts of the country and sought to impose Islamic law.
The Islamic Courts Union were swiftly defeated earlier this year, but its remnants and allied tribes have since waged a guerrilla war against their enemies.
However the heavy-handed crackdown on the insurgents has also angered many in Mogadishu. Three civilians were killed late last month when Ethiopian Woyanne troops opened fire on demonstrators protesting against their presence.
On Wednesday, the UN refugee agency said up to 90,000 civilians were displaced in Mogadishu in the weekend fighting, which was “the worst in months” stoking worsening humanitarian crisis in the country.
The parading of dead Ethiopian Woyanne troops through the streets of Mogadishu was somewhat reminiscent of 1993, when the bodies of US special forces taking part in a doomed operation were famously torn to pieces and paraded in the streets.
Alarmed by the escalating violence in Mogadishu, 40 aid groups warned of an “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe” in parts of Somalia and said they could no longer meet the country’s growing relief needs.
The fighting is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation which has left 1.5 million — almost one sixth of the total population — in need of help.
Bloody clan feuds following the 1991 ousting of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre escalated into a civil war which continues to defy every peace initiative.
10 thoughts on “Slain Woyanne troops paraded in Mogadishu streets”
What a tragedy? Ethiopians and Somalis should come out and voice their opposition towards the heinous crime being perpetrated on the people of Somalia. Meles has replaced Charles Taylor in causing so much pain, suffering and misery to so many millions of people in Ethiopia and now in Somalia.
It is simply incomprehensible that the world is watching as the murderous autocratic and genocidal rule of Meles Zenawi and his Tigrean Thugs is systematically killing Somalis, Oromos, Amaras, Sidamas, Agnuaks, Wolayitas, Afars, Gurages, Kambatas unabated. What a tragedy of bottomless pit – killings by his murderous “Agazi” all around Ethiopia!!!
The non-Tigrean portion of the Ethiopian Defence Forces as well as all democratic opposition forces must stand in unison and say Enough is ENOUGH – People from all corners and all persuasions must rise up and say we are not gonna take it anymore. After all “Woyane Gorfe Yametaw Chika New”.
If people of Ethiopia, (the Oromos, Somalis, Amaras etc) rise up in unity against this child murderers believe me they will be history in weeks if not in days!!!
Meles and his cohorts must be brought to Justice!
I wish and hope that his fate is no different than Sadam Hussien!
Cry Badme cry Mogadishu!!!!!!
It is not forgettable that thousands of little ones were buried under the pile of hard and heavy rocks and dead soils in Badme. It was just a matter of time. Indeed it was a matter of time until other little boys of their age, somewhere would be surrendered their tender life to a quick death.
The one-time worshiped and trusted Shaebia’s leader but now, the shameful dictator, Issayas Afeworki made cry the mothers of the perished ones by broadcasting to all of them that their sons and daughters have become Martyrs.
But Meles Zinawi, the leader of Woyanne was neither accepted nor trusted by the greatest majority of Ethiopians. But those who trusted Meles Zinawi with their children now are deeply plunged into unending grief because their sons are being dragged dead in the streets of Mogadishu.
Both Issayas Afeworki and Meles Zinawi, first, brainwashed then promised their unsuspected followers with plenty to eat, a lot of unconditional democracy to enjoy, and prosperity to all; but, Badme then now Mogadishu spoke the reality clear and loud not only to the grief-stricken mothers of the dead but also to the saddened global community.
Which one is better? to IGNORE the reality or to QUARENTEN the two most wanted murderers???? To the mothers of the dead, the choice is one and only one; to bring the above-mentioned murderers to justice; but what about to the followers of both criminals? Will the dedicated followers of both fugitives ready to be responsible for their partnership with their wanted leaders? Isn’t it better to wake up quickly and do something?
As the adage says it all, prevention is the best cure; no single creature, either suspected or unsuspected man or woman must have accepted the failed leaders of theirs just like that, to begin wit.
What would Meles Zinawi tell the mothers of those who left dead in Somalia???
The body of elias of ER will be dragged by the Ethiopian people!
Some Americans say, “like mother, like daughter” when they see a child performing her duties exactly the same like her mother.
Now the Ethiopians, for quite some times, have been in that troubled city of Mogadishu, helping the weak government of Somalia against the Slamist insurgents. Yet, these Islamist insurgents have been causing big problems for the Ethiopian soldiers not only ambushing and killing them but also parading their dead bodies in the street of Mogadishu as their fellow Sudanese Muslims paraded the dead body of that famous, religious King of Ethiopia, Emperor Yohannes in the 19th century. Like mother, like daughter, the Muslim world, I think, get pleasures by exposing the dead bodies of its adversaries to the public.
I am against those Muslims who, after they have killed their enemies, parade their dead bodies in the street. Their Koran may allow them to kill the infidels, but does it allow them to display to the mob the bodies of the infidels whom they slaughter? The Somali Muslims may have the right to fight against those whom they think are foreign occupiers of their country, but they should not parade the dead bodies of their enemies in the street. To do such incomprehensible act to the dead bodies is, to me, irrational. The dead bodies are no more their enemies; their enemies are the living ones who are fighting them and burning their houses and destroying their properties. The dead bodies, whether they are friends’ or enemies’ are dead bodies; they are no more to cause troubles. They are dead. They are gone to their original elements. So why parade them in the street?
Yes, Fish, it shall be dragged along with his handful cronies before his docile followers, who will only realize the truth of his real intention : destroying Emama Ethiopia!
It was on CNN that I saw this news and got angry with that devil. My people dont be decived the one that you saw lying dade on the street of Mokadisho is your poor brother.
Fish #3 I don’t know where you came from, but Ethiopian have respect fo people dead or alive. They get no pleasure by dragging a dead body. Speak for yourself.
In other countries, when a soldier is killed, his immediate keens would immediately be notified and then the body of the fallen soldier would be transported to his homeland for a dignified burial. Besides, the government will entirely cover the coast of funeral.
The families of the dead soldier will even have a chance to say goodbye to their fallen loved one, then the public will accompany the family to pay the greatest respect of highest order to the dead soldier in a final state funeral.
The two fugitives, Issayas Afework and Meles Zinawi never suffered any personal losses, but both caused deep suffering on mothers of little ones who lived on both sides of the river.
A lot of mothers who lost either their sons or daughters or sisters or brothers, or husbands went through a crushing grief for years before irregularly informed the loss of their loved ones.
The two fugitives had shared food from the same plate and took baths in the same river that separated the grief-stricken mothers on both sides of the riverbank. It took Issayas Afework three years to announce the name of the dead ones to their respective loved ones.
Both Issayas Afework and Meles Zinawi are good at making tragedy. It is why both have been on the most wanted list for years.
Currently, everything is clearly unpleasant to Meles Zinawi because Woyanne soldiers are being hunted down then dragged dead on the streets of Mogadishu. Secretly, however, Meles Zinawi had ordered his recent promoted generals to be ready to march to Asmara and to capture Issayas Afework alive, if possible.
So far, 25,000 shaebya soldiers are on immediate alert walk or run towards the same river where they met enemies from the other side of the river. It is just a matter of time and the right circumstances until the two fugitives blow the whistle and their army to collide head on.
First: we should show respect for the dead and expect that gesture to be respected. MELLES SHOWED THE DEAD BODIES OF AL-ITIHAD fighters on ETV, in case we have forgotten! It is pay back time! What did we do to deserve this criminal as PM? Message to my Somali brothers and sisters: I hope you know by now that this is is Melles’ war and that he and his cronies will answer for all the damage and suffering they have caused. Our day will come.
Both countries are lossing, financially, and lives. However, for me I firmly believe the soldiers were not Woyanes, but Ethiopians.
It is not about bieng biased against our Moslem brothers and sisters, but this Jihad is becoming a head ache to the International Community. Thousands of years ago the followers of Mohamed the Prophet were harbored in Ethiopia and ordered the Muslim followeres not to wage war against Ethiopia. Meles went to Mogadishu for both reasons, one is to please the United States and to protect the interest of Ethiopia. I can’t spell it any thing more than that. The intresst of Ethiopia is clear. We have to protect the Harar Region and the North to deter further concession to helples Issayas Afeworki.
I agree with fellow commentators that any life is precisious but these soldiers should not be considered as Woyanes but first and foremost they are Ethiopians. Ethiopian Review Editors please if you know true Journalism then print it as it is don’t erase the word ETHIOPIA and write WOYANES.
I hope you got the picture.