Ethiopian-Somali conflict
Encyclopedia
The Ethiopian–Somali conflict and tension has a historical background in territorial and political disputes. Animosity between Ethiopians
and Somalis
dates back a millenia with wars and conflicts (see Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi
). In recent years, those tensions caused two wars
.
region date to the scramble for Africa
of the 19th century when Menelik II invaded the Ogaden region, a move that directly contributed to the birth of a major Somali anti-colonial campaign by the Dervish State
, which collapsed a quarter of a century later in 1920 under heavy British
arial bombardment. Tensions resurface when Britain in the 1948 settlement granted to Ethiopia the Ogaden region. Somali disgruntlement with this decision led to repeated attempts to invade Ethiopia with the intention of taking control of the Ogaden to create a Greater Somalia
. This plan would have reunited the Somali people of the Ethiopian-controlled Ogaden with those living in the Republic of Somalia. Shy of that, ethnic and political tensions have caused cross-border clashes over the years.
Conflicts between Ethiopia and Somalia are of course not limited to the 20th-21st Centuries. Wars between Somalia, or its precursor Islamic states, and Ethiopia, stretch back to the 16th century. Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi
was a 16th century Islamic leader of Adal
popular in Somali culture for his jihad against the Ethiopians during the rise of the Adal Sultanate
an historic multi-ethnic state in the Horn of Africa
.
Therefore, painful living history, oral and cultural traditions, long-standing ethnic divisions and sectarian differences lay between the two nations and fuel the conflict.
region with Somalia. Later, in April 1999 two Somali leaders, Ali Mahdi and Hussein Aideed, said in an official protest to the United Nations Security Council
, that heavily-armed Ethiopian troops entered the towns of Beledhawo
and Doollow on Friday, April 9, 1999. They further alleged that the Ethiopian troops had taken over the local administration and detained officials in the towns. In May 1999, Ethiopian soldiers, with the help of a pro-Ethiopian Somali faction occupied the town of Luuq
in southwestern Somalia, close to the borders with Ethiopia and Kenya
. In late June 1999, Ethiopian soldiers, supported by armoured vehicles launched an attack from Luuq that resulted in the capture of Garba Harre in the Gedo
region, which was previously controlled by the Somali National Front
led by Hussein Aideed. The attack was apparently aimed at flushing out Ethiopian rebels based in Somalia.
After the formation of the Transitional National Government
(TNG) of Somalia in August 2000, Ethiopia at first did not recognize the interim government and reportedly continued its raids against Al-Ittihad and supporting various warlord
factions, which lead to very strained relations between the Ethiopian government and the interim Somali government, characterized by accusations, denials and counter-accusations on both sides.
In January 2001, Somalia’s TNG Prime Minister
, Ali Khalif Galaydh, strongly accused Ethiopia of arming factions opposed to the government, occupying Somali districts and increasing its military presence in the country. He later claimed that Ethiopian soldiers had occupied towns in Somalia’s southwestern region, and had detained and intimidated its nationals; the Ethiopian government denied these charges.
Ethiopia has supported and is alleged to have supported a number of different Somali factions at one time or another. Among these are the Somali Reconstruction and Restoration Council (SRRC), Muse Sudi Yalahow, General Mohammed Said Hirsi Morgan (allied to the Somali Patriotic Movement or SPM), Hassan Mohamed Nur Shatigudud and his Rahanwein Resistance Army (RRA) and Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
(former President of Puntland and current Somali TNG President). A number of Somali warlord factions have also held meetings and formed loose alliances in Ethiopia.
Reports in early January, 2002 indicated that around 300 Ethiopian soldiers were deployed in Garowe (capital of Puntland
) with other Ethiopian troops reportedly moving into the neighbouring Bay region and around Baidoa
. The Ethiopian government denied these reports and accused the interim government of spreading "malicious lies" about Ethiopia’s policy towards Somalia.
Ethiopian soldiers again attacked and temporarily captured the border town of Beledhawo on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 with the help of the SRRC after the town had been captured by a rival militia. During the raid, the commander of the rival militia, Colonel Abdirizak Issak Bihi, was captured by the Ethiopian forces and taken across the border to Ethiopia. After the raid, control of the town was turned over to the SRRC. Earlier in May, Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed had retaken control of Puntland by ousting his rival Jama Ali Jama
with the aid of the Ethiopian army.
In February 2003, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi
, admitted that Ethiopian troops were occasionally sent into Somalia to battle the militant Islamist group, Al-Ittihad and stated that the group was linked to Al-Qaeda
. He also claimed that Ethiopia’s government had lists of Al-Ittihad members who were, at the time, in the Transitional National Government and parliament of Somalia; a claim that TNG President Abdiqasim Salad Hassan
has consistently denied. President Hassan has in turn, accused Ethiopia of destabilizing Somalia, interfering daily in Somali affairs and violating the arms embargo on Somalia by supplying weapons to warlords opposed to the Transitional Government at the time; Ethiopia denied these charges.
Although an attempt was made to improve relations between Ethiopia and the TNG in June 2001, relations only really improved in 2004 when Abdullahi Yusuf became the TNG President. Then Ethiopia reversed its position and began to support the interim government, especially against various Islamist militias in Somalia, most recently the Islamic Courts Union.
.
A Somali Islamist leader has ordered a "jihad" to drive out Ethiopian troops, after they entered the country to protect the weak interim government, however, Sharia
courts in Ethiopia condemned the ICU's declaration of holy war.
Meles Zenawi has agreed to withdraw Ethiopian forces at arrival of the African Union.
Ethiopia has been a long-term ally of President Abdullahi Yusuf and in the 1990s helped him defeat an Islamist militia led by Mr Aweys.
Later reports indicate that Ethiopian soldiers have occupied Bardaale, 60 kilometers 40 miles west of Baidoa, the day after the ICU seized control of Kismayo on September 21.
The Ethiopians recently withdrew their last troops on January 17.
Demographics of Ethiopia
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Ethiopia, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
and Somalis
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
dates back a millenia with wars and conflicts (see Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi
Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi "the Conqueror" was an Imam and General of Adal who invaded Ethiopia and defeated several Ethiopian emperors, wreaking much damage on that kingdom...
). In recent years, those tensions caused two wars
Ethiopian-Somali War
There were three Ethiopian-Somali Wars:*1977-1978 Ogaden War*1982 Ethiopian-Somali Border War*2006-2009 Ethiopian war in Somalia...
.
Historical background
A broader perspective shows many incidents of Ethiopian–Somali conflict. Boundary disputes over the OgadenOgaden
Ogaden is the name of a territory comprising the southeastern portion of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim. The title "Somali Galbeed", which means "Western Somalia," is often preferred by Somali irredentists.The region, which is...
region date to the scramble for Africa
Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa, also known as the Race for Africa or Partition of Africa was a process of invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the New Imperialism period, between 1881 and World War I in 1914...
of the 19th century when Menelik II invaded the Ogaden region, a move that directly contributed to the birth of a major Somali anti-colonial campaign by the Dervish State
Dervish State
The Dervish state was an early 20th century Somali Sunni Muslim state that was established by Muhammad Abdullah Hassan, a religious leader who gathered Somali soldiers from across the Horn of Africa and united them into a loyal army known as the Dervishes...
, which collapsed a quarter of a century later in 1920 under heavy British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
arial bombardment. Tensions resurface when Britain in the 1948 settlement granted to Ethiopia the Ogaden region. Somali disgruntlement with this decision led to repeated attempts to invade Ethiopia with the intention of taking control of the Ogaden to create a Greater Somalia
Greater Somalia
Greater Somalia refers to those regions in the Horn of Africa in which ethnic Somalis are and have historically represented the predominant population. Greater Somalia encompasses Somalia, Djibouti, the Ogaden of Ethiopia and the North Eastern Province of Kenya. Pan-Somalism refers to the vision...
. This plan would have reunited the Somali people of the Ethiopian-controlled Ogaden with those living in the Republic of Somalia. Shy of that, ethnic and political tensions have caused cross-border clashes over the years.
- 1960-1964 Border Dispute
- 1977-1978 Ogaden WarOgaden WarThe Ogaden War was a conventional conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia in 1977 and 1978 over the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. In a notable illustration of the nature of Cold War alliances, the Soviet Union switched from supplying aid to Somalia to supporting Ethiopia, which had previously been...
- 1982 August Border Clash1982 Ethiopian-Somali Border WarThe 1982 Ethiopian-Somali Border War occurred between the months of June and August of 1982, when Somali rebels with Ethiopian military support invaded central Somalia and captured several towns. The fighting was a catalyst for U.S. military assistance in Somalia, which brought a halt to the clashes....
- 1998-2000 Cross-border warfare during the chaotic warlord-led era.
Conflicts between Ethiopia and Somalia are of course not limited to the 20th-21st Centuries. Wars between Somalia, or its precursor Islamic states, and Ethiopia, stretch back to the 16th century. Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi
Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi "the Conqueror" was an Imam and General of Adal who invaded Ethiopia and defeated several Ethiopian emperors, wreaking much damage on that kingdom...
was a 16th century Islamic leader of Adal
Adal Sultanate
The Adal Sultanate or the Kingdom of Adal was a medieval multi-ethnic Muslim state located in the Horn of Africa.-Overview:...
popular in Somali culture for his jihad against the Ethiopians during the rise of the Adal Sultanate
Adal Sultanate
The Adal Sultanate or the Kingdom of Adal was a medieval multi-ethnic Muslim state located in the Horn of Africa.-Overview:...
an historic multi-ethnic state in the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
.
Therefore, painful living history, oral and cultural traditions, long-standing ethnic divisions and sectarian differences lay between the two nations and fuel the conflict.
History of Ethiopian intervention
The first incursion by Ethiopian troops after the fall of the central Somali government took place in August 1996. In March 1999, Ethiopian troops reportedly raided the Somali border town of Balanballe in pursuit of members of the Al-Ittihad Al-Islamiya group which has been fighting to unite Ethiopia’s eastern OgadenOgaden
Ogaden is the name of a territory comprising the southeastern portion of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim. The title "Somali Galbeed", which means "Western Somalia," is often preferred by Somali irredentists.The region, which is...
region with Somalia. Later, in April 1999 two Somali leaders, Ali Mahdi and Hussein Aideed, said in an official protest to the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
, that heavily-armed Ethiopian troops entered the towns of Beledhawo
Beledhawo
Beled Hawo is the second largest city in Gedo, the largest province in Somalia situated in the southwestern part of the country. The town is also the headquarters of Beled Hawo District, which, like most other districts in the region, is named after its principal town.-History:Beled Hawo was...
and Doollow on Friday, April 9, 1999. They further alleged that the Ethiopian troops had taken over the local administration and detained officials in the towns. In May 1999, Ethiopian soldiers, with the help of a pro-Ethiopian Somali faction occupied the town of Luuq
Luuq
Luuq or Lugh is a city in the southern Gedo province of Somalia. It is one of the oldest cities in the country, and is the seat of the Luuq District, one of the region's seven districts. The town is located in a bend of the Juba River, where the river flows down from north to south in a horseshoe...
in southwestern Somalia, close to the borders with Ethiopia and Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. In late June 1999, Ethiopian soldiers, supported by armoured vehicles launched an attack from Luuq that resulted in the capture of Garba Harre in the Gedo
Gedo
Gedo is an administrative region , formerly part of the historic Upper Juba Region in southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. Gedo is a region created in 1980s and is bordered by the Ogaden in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and the Somali regions of Bakool, Bay,...
region, which was previously controlled by the Somali National Front
Somali National Front
The Somali National Front was a political revolutionary movement and armed militia in Somalia.-History:Initially made up of loyalists to former President of Somalia Siad Barre and the remnants of the Somali National Army forces after his ouster from office, the SNF's intent and goal was to...
led by Hussein Aideed. The attack was apparently aimed at flushing out Ethiopian rebels based in Somalia.
After the formation of the Transitional National Government
Transitional National Government
The Transitional National Government of Somalia was established in April–May 2000 at the Somalia National Peace Conference held in Djibouti....
(TNG) of Somalia in August 2000, Ethiopia at first did not recognize the interim government and reportedly continued its raids against Al-Ittihad and supporting various warlord
Warlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...
factions, which lead to very strained relations between the Ethiopian government and the interim Somali government, characterized by accusations, denials and counter-accusations on both sides.
In January 2001, Somalia’s TNG Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Somalia
This page contains a list of the Prime Ministers of Somalia.-Prime Ministers of Somalia :-Affiliations:*SYL - Somali Youth League*SNL - Somali National League...
, Ali Khalif Galaydh, strongly accused Ethiopia of arming factions opposed to the government, occupying Somali districts and increasing its military presence in the country. He later claimed that Ethiopian soldiers had occupied towns in Somalia’s southwestern region, and had detained and intimidated its nationals; the Ethiopian government denied these charges.
Ethiopia has supported and is alleged to have supported a number of different Somali factions at one time or another. Among these are the Somali Reconstruction and Restoration Council (SRRC), Muse Sudi Yalahow, General Mohammed Said Hirsi Morgan (allied to the Somali Patriotic Movement or SPM), Hassan Mohamed Nur Shatigudud and his Rahanwein Resistance Army (RRA) and Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is a veteran Somali politician. He is one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland State of Somalia, where he served as the autonomous region's first President...
(former President of Puntland and current Somali TNG President). A number of Somali warlord factions have also held meetings and formed loose alliances in Ethiopia.
Reports in early January, 2002 indicated that around 300 Ethiopian soldiers were deployed in Garowe (capital of Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
) with other Ethiopian troops reportedly moving into the neighbouring Bay region and around Baidoa
Baidoa
Baidoa is a city in south-central Somalia, situated by road northwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is the capital of the Bay region, which is traditionally inhabited by the Digil and Mirifle clans....
. The Ethiopian government denied these reports and accused the interim government of spreading "malicious lies" about Ethiopia’s policy towards Somalia.
Ethiopian soldiers again attacked and temporarily captured the border town of Beledhawo on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 with the help of the SRRC after the town had been captured by a rival militia. During the raid, the commander of the rival militia, Colonel Abdirizak Issak Bihi, was captured by the Ethiopian forces and taken across the border to Ethiopia. After the raid, control of the town was turned over to the SRRC. Earlier in May, Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed had retaken control of Puntland by ousting his rival Jama Ali Jama
Jama Ali Jama
Jama Ali Jama is a Somali politician, and President of Puntland from November 14, 2001 to May 8, 2002.-Biography:Jama was a former colonel in the Somali military, and was imprisoned for 11 years during the reign of Mohamed Siad Barre after having been accused of trying to overthrow the latter.He...
with the aid of the Ethiopian army.
In February 2003, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi Asres is the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Since 1985, he has been chairman of the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front , and is currently head of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front .Meles was born in Adwa, Tigray in Northern Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father from...
, admitted that Ethiopian troops were occasionally sent into Somalia to battle the militant Islamist group, Al-Ittihad and stated that the group was linked to Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
. He also claimed that Ethiopia’s government had lists of Al-Ittihad members who were, at the time, in the Transitional National Government and parliament of Somalia; a claim that TNG President Abdiqasim Salad Hassan
Abdiqasim Salad Hassan
Dr Abdiqasim Salad Hassan is a prominent Somali politician. He was President of Somalia from 2001 to 2004, and previously served as Interior Minister and Finance Minister in the government of Mohamed Siad Barre.-Biography:...
has consistently denied. President Hassan has in turn, accused Ethiopia of destabilizing Somalia, interfering daily in Somali affairs and violating the arms embargo on Somalia by supplying weapons to warlords opposed to the Transitional Government at the time; Ethiopia denied these charges.
Although an attempt was made to improve relations between Ethiopia and the TNG in June 2001, relations only really improved in 2004 when Abdullahi Yusuf became the TNG President. Then Ethiopia reversed its position and began to support the interim government, especially against various Islamist militias in Somalia, most recently the Islamic Courts Union.
2006 involvement
Ethiopian involvement in Somalia gained widespread public attention when Ethiopian troops moved into Somalian territory on July 20, 2006. Somalia's interim government was then resisting advances by the Islamic Courts Union forces north to the last unoccupied city of BaidoaBaidoa
Baidoa is a city in south-central Somalia, situated by road northwest of the capital Mogadishu. It is the capital of the Bay region, which is traditionally inhabited by the Digil and Mirifle clans....
.
A Somali Islamist leader has ordered a "jihad" to drive out Ethiopian troops, after they entered the country to protect the weak interim government, however, Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
courts in Ethiopia condemned the ICU's declaration of holy war.
Meles Zenawi has agreed to withdraw Ethiopian forces at arrival of the African Union.
Ethiopia has been a long-term ally of President Abdullahi Yusuf and in the 1990s helped him defeat an Islamist militia led by Mr Aweys.
Later reports indicate that Ethiopian soldiers have occupied Bardaale, 60 kilometers 40 miles west of Baidoa, the day after the ICU seized control of Kismayo on September 21.
External links
- Timeline: Ethiopia vs Somalia (BBC)
- Somali Islamist orders 'holy war' (BBC)
- Why Ethiopia is on a war footing (BBC)
- Ethiopian Arms Embargo Violations
- Ethiopian Prime Minister Agrees to pull troops out of Somalia at AU Arrival
The Ethiopians recently withdrew their last troops on January 17.