Mr. Meles of Ethiopia anticipated the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia earlier this year. This was expected as Islamists have been driven out of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. But the government is divided making it impossible to replace Ethiopian forces. There are not enough peacekeepers in the area to allow Ethiopian forces to withdraw.
According to the United Nations, about sixty percent of the residents living in Mogadishu have fled the clashes. It was a year ago that the Ethiopian government stepped in and overthrew the Union of Islamic Courts which controlled most of southern Somalia.
The presence of Ethiopian forces has become very unpopular in the capital. Insurgents have already dragged bodies of troops throughout the city. While Mr. Meles said they would pull out once a peacekeeping force has arrived, only one thousand and six-hundred troops from Uganda has arrived.
This is part of the planned eight-thousand strong troops from the African Union force. The United Nations is divided. Current UN chief Ban Ki-moon said that it’s too dangerous to send troops into the area.
Since 1991, the country has had no functioning government after Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown from presidential office.
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