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Disgruntled soldiers have stormed state TV and radio in Mali’s capital and cut off broadcasts in a growing fallout over a northern rebellion where Tuareg separatists are besting the military.
Soldiers say Defense Minister Gen. Sadio Gassama was visiting a military camp near the presidential palace in Bamako on Wednesday when unhappy young troopers started firing into the air. They then stoned the general’s car, forcing him to leave the camp in haste.
Heavy gun battle between Somali government soldiers supported by Ethiopian forces and al-Shabaab fighters took place overnight parts in Baidoa town, just 250 Km away south of Mogadishu, security officials said.
The clashes sparked after al-Shabaab militants attacked early on Tuesday night on joint Somali and Ethiopian military bases in Isha Village, east of Baidoa town, reasoning an unconfirmed loss of life and damages.
Eritrea has said it will not retaliate after Ethiopia’s cross-border raid on Thursday, easing fears of a new conflict between the long-time rivals.
“Those who rush to aggression are those who do not know what the life of people means,” Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu told the BBC.
Ethiopia said it attacked three military bases where rebel groups were being trained.
The two countries fought a border war from 1998 to 2000.
The Ethiopian defense forces attacked military targets 18 KMs inside Eritrea, which it says targeted “hit and run terrorist and subversive groups trained the Eritrean government, armed and deployed”.
The attack took place this morning (March 15, 2012) and targeted the group which recently attacked, killed and abducted European tourists in the Afar region of Ethiopia, according to press statement from the Ethiopian government Communications Affairs Office.
Ethiopia, which has deployed hundreds of troops in Somalia to fight Islamist insurgents, will withdraw them by the end of April, the African Union said Friday.
Since Ethiopian troops crossed the border in November, they have captured Beledweyne and Baidoa from the al-Shabaab rebels.
A major base of Somalia’s al-Shabaab militants has been captured on the outskirts of the capital by government troops backed by African Union forces.
“This operation is necessary to consolidate the security of Mogadishu,” AU commander Maj Gen Fred Mugisha said as the offensive began.
AU and government forces took control of most of Mogadishu last year.
Puntland forces have seized on Wednesday supplies to Galgala militias linked with al-Shabaab-aligned militants operating in the area of Cal-Madow area north of Bosaso town, security officials said.
Officials of Darwish forces under Puntland state of Somalia said they seized a truck, carrying military equipment and food elements on Wednesday morning near Galgala hideouts before it reached their bases where is largely controlled by fighters loyal to a hard-line cleric Sheik Atom linked with al-Shabaab militants.