What Ethiopia’s withdrawals from AMISOM mean for Somalia

Why is Ethiopia bringing back some of the best-trained and best-equipped soldiers fighting al-Shabaab? Until recently, Ethiopia contributed 4,400 troops to AMISOM’s 22,000 in Somalia. Credit: AU UN/Tobin Jones. This month has seen multiple withdrawals of Ethiopia National Defense Force (ENDF) units from Somalia. On 11 October, ENDF soldiers under the African Union Mission in…

Ethiopia withdraws from Somalia el-Ali in Hiran region

BBC-Ethiopian troops fighting militant Islamist group al-Shabab have withdrawn from a key military base in central Somalia’s Hiran region, residents say.y. Al-Shabab fighters have taken control of el-Ali village following the withdrawal, the residents added. Ethiopian forces had destroyed the base before abandoning the area, a radio station run by al-Shabab said. The troops withdrew…

Why US Airstrike Somalia?

Abdulaziz Osman VOAFILE – Al-Shabab fighters sit on a truck as they patrol in Mogadishu, Somalia, Oct. 30, 2009. The U.S. military says its airstrike killed at least nine militants. However, the Somalia government says its soldiers were killed in the strike. Somalia’s government is demanding an explanation from the United States for Wednesday’s deadly airstrike…

Is Djibouti Africa’s Dubai?

BBC Africa Bordered by Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, tiny Djibouti has quietly been making headlines for its dreams to become as successful as the Emirate An oasis of peace Bordered by Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Djibouti is an oasis of peace in a part of Africa marred by piracy and instability. It is this privileged…

Geopolitical Showdown in the Horn

Recently, two major developments in Somalia and Djibouti have attracted international media attention. John Kerry became the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit Mogadishu, while China has negotiated the construction of a military base in the strategic port of Djibouti. These two “symbolic” and substantive developments represent both an opportunity and a challenge for the U.S.…