U.N. Somalia arms report a "fairy-tale" - EritreaASMARA (Reuters) - A
U.N. report that Eritrea and other nations are sending arms and troops into
Somalia amid a brewing conflict is a "fairy-tale" intended to tarnish the
burgeoning Islamist movement, Asmara said on Saturday. The report to the U.N.
Security Council said at least seven nations -- including Eritrea -- were
providing arms and supplies to Islamists, who want Somalia ruled by sharia law,
while three were arming the largely impotent interim government. "These
baseless and ungrounded accusations are intended to hit two targets," said an
editorial in the government-owned Eritrea Profile, a bi-weekly newspaper.
"One: tarnishing and changing the countenance of the movement created out of
internal political dynamism of Somalis...Two: by fabricating a fairy-tale with
regard to neighbouring countries." The Islamist movement took over Mogadishu
and a swathe of south Somalia in June, challenging the isolated
government's aspirations of restoring central rule for the first time since
the 1991 ouster of a dictator. The U.N. report accused Eritrea of sending
arms including anti-aircraft weapons and troops to Somalia.
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It estimated 2,000 Eritrean troops were in Somalia. The Red Sea state
slammed the United States for supporting Mogadishu's warlords -- whom the
Islamists ousted in battles throughout the first half of the year -- and for
fomenting conflict in Somalia. "The people and Government of Eritrea do
strongly object (to) the unjustified intervention pursued by the U.S. as well
as its mercenaries and other external forces," the editorial added. Despite
the denials, most analysts and diplomats believe Eritrea is backing the
Islamists militarily, while Asmara's arch-foe -- Ethiopia
-- is supporting the government. They fear conflict in Somalia could quickly
spread into a regional war.
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