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Renegade Somali leaders vow deeper insurgency


Sheikh Sharif says insurgent fighters have changed tactics in bloody contest for Mogadishu.


ASMARA - Renegade Somali leaders on Monday vowed deeper insurgency against government-backed Ethiopian troops despite retreating in recent clashes in Mogadishu, some of the deadliest in the city's history.

Top Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former parliament speaker Sheikh Sharif Hassan Aden said the rebel fighters, who melted away last week in the face of an Ethiopian offensive, had changed tactics in the bloody contest for Mogadishu.

"The resistance fighters are changing their strategy from face-to-face conflict to hit-and-run attacks," the leaders said in a statement released in the Eritrean capital.

"The Somali resistance groups have done a good job in defence against the invasion (by) Ethiopia, causing heavy Ethiopian casualties."

Ethiopian forces have been battling Islamist fighters and clan militia since the beginning of the year when they backed Somali government soldiers to oust an Islamist movement from the capital and south and central Somalia.

The violence, which died down last Thursday, has killed hundreds in recent weeks and forced up to 400,000 to flee since the start of February, according to the United Nations.

"The resistance will never give up its mission to fight the invading troops," the leaders warned Monday. "We urge the Somali people never to kneel down in front of the Ethiopians."

They also called for resistance against some 1,500 African Union peacekeepers already deployed in Somalia, and criticised the international community for failing to speak out about the violence.

Somalia has been without an effective government since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre sparked a bloody power struggle.

renegade?

how can they describe Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as a renegade?

"They also called for resistance against some 1,500 African Union peacekeepers already deployed in Somalia, and criticised the international community for failing to speak out about the violence."

The international community believes it has been speaking loudly about the violence for some time. The AU forces are there as part of the solution, and not the reverse. Even the Arab League supports this.

A "deeper insurgency" can only promote more violence, and, in the end, can only be more qabiilist in it's effects. The good Sheik needs to rethink his position and find the grounds for a political solution.

grant

so you, like mad mac, believe the somalis SHOULD "kneel down in front of the Ethiopians."

What exactly would a "deeper insurgency" accomplish other than more instability and bloodshed? The ethipians will most likely leave and be replaced by AU, and an insurgency will only keep them around longer.

While they're out forming new tactics, they should consider a non violent way of ousting the governmen ie forming political parties. Turning mugdisho into the Baghdad of Africa doesn't help anyone.

Ican said it, Mike. The way to geat rid of the bakhti is to have an election. And mean it, and abide by the results.

And if Afbijo doesn't call for elections, and is installed as president-for-life instead?
What then? They'll have handed in their weapons and demobilized by then, and it'll be too late.

totally agree with James Dahl

the bastardos are not going allow elections, they know how deeply unpopular they are and the crimes they have committed....

the only way out of this is to establish real government through dialogue and reconciliation and to reject the TFG warlords and traitors.

Dialogue and negotiation would be a political solution, and would not be "a deeper insurgency."

I think the fear of another dictatorship is exactly what has drawn things out for so long. There have to be constitutional checks and balances developed that the clans can trust to prevent that.

only solution is to implement 100% Shariah Law. clan superiority would melt away.
just look at what happened in the 6 months period the ICU were in power - there was law 'n order in xamar for the first time in 16yrs.
to hell with ethiopians and their followers.