Ethiopian Airstrikes in Somalia
Charles Johnson
Sun Dec 24, 2006 at 8:36 am PST • Views: 429
Meanwhile, it’s open war between Ethiopia and the jihadis in Somalia: Ethiopia attacks Somalia Islamic council.
MOGADISHU, Somalia - Ethiopia launched an attack Sunday on Somalia’s powerful Islamic movement, sending fighter jets across the border and bombarding several towns in a major escalation of the violence that threatens to engulf the Horn of Africa.
Ethiopia confirmed the attacks, the first time it has acknowledged that its troops were fighting in Somalia, though witnesses have reported their presence for weeks.
“After too much patience, the Ethiopian government has taken a self-defensive measure and has begun counterattacking the aggressive extremist forces of the (Islamic council) and foreign terrorist groups,” said Ethiopia’s foreign affairs spokesman, Solomon Abebe.
The Council of Islamic Courts has vowed to drive out troops from neighboring Ethiopia, a largely Christian nation that is providing military support to Somalia’s U.N.-backed government.
“They are cowards,” said Sheik Mohamoud Ibrahim Suley, an official with Somalia’s Council of Islamic Courts. “They are afraid of the face-to-face war and resorted to airstrikes. I hope God will help us shoot down their planes.”
And remember, the Council on American Islamic Relations called the takeover of Somalia by Islamic supremacists “a positive change,” and proudly posted the endorsement on their web site.
That endorsement has now been sloppily (hastily?) removed, and leads to an error page.
Frank says: