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AFJN Concerned About U.S. Military Action in Somalia |
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On January 9th, in the latest development in the
U.S.’ global War on Terror, air strikes undertaken by U.S. military aircraft hit
presumed al-Qaeda terrorist hide-outs in southern Somalia, though subsequent
statements from the Pentagon have revealed that the only casualties were
civilians. The last time the U.S.
military directly intervened in Somalia
was in 1993, when eighteen soldiers were killed and their bodies dragged
through Somalia’s capital
city of Mogadishu.
This escalation of overt U.S.
involvement in Somalia comes
a week after Ethiopian and Somali transitional government troops with American
backing regained control of most of Somalia, having lost it several months
ago to a coalition of Islamist fighters.
Locals fear that a guerilla insurgency similar to that
taking place in Iraq
may ensue. Ethiopia’s
government hopes to replace its troops with an international peacekeeping force
as soon as possible to maintain security in the volatile country. Giorgio
Bertin, the Bishop of Djibouti, expressed concern that if Ethiopia withdraws its troops, the current weak
transitional government of Somalia
will collapse. “If the international community does not intervene, there is a
real risk that Somalia
could go back to the worst violence and clan warfare of 1991,” said Bishop
Bertin.
AFJN maintains its concern and
shares its prayers for the people of Somalia, who have suffered through
decades of chronic insecurity. Members of the Africa Faith and Justice Network
should urge their policymakers to ensure that a viable political solution to
this crisis is immediately sought to avoid prolonging violence against Somali
people.
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