Somali militants threaten to launch cross border attacks against Ethiopia
APA
December 31, 2009
Mogadishu-(Somalia) A Somali Islamist rebel group Hezbal Islam vowed to attack cities in eastern Ethiopia near the border with Somalia, a top Islamist threatened Thursday.
Sheikh Shuriye Farah Sabriye, the Islamist governor of Hiiraan region bordering with Ethiopia told reporters in Mogadishu Thursday that his group is in the final preparations for a big incursion into Ethiopia.
“Our Mujahideens are ready to launch a big attack on the Ethiopian army bases in the city of Fer-fer where attacks against us have been arranged for the past several weeks and then we will go deep inside Ethiopia” the Islamist governor threatened.
“I am here in Mogadishu to have consultations with our chairman Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys and top commanders within the group” the Hezbal Islam governor stated.
The Islamist governor also said they will launch attacks on the central Somali region of Galgadud which is controlled by the moderate Islamist group, Ahlu Sunna wal Jama’a.
“They are not the real Ahlu Sunna but instead they are siding with the enemy of Islam (Ethiopia) and the Christian-proxy government in Somalia, so we have to destroy them,” he accentuated.
The moderate Islamists have been controlling the central region since late last year when they defeated the Al-Shabab militants who made the region as their biggest base before they were ousted.