August 9th 1996
London BBC World Service “Focus on Africa” program (in English) — 1505 GMT
Reports from Somalia claim that Ethiopian forces have crossed the border and attacked a string of towns in the region where the frontiers of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya meet, 300 miles northwest of Mogadishu. It seems to be a development in the long-running conflict in Ethiopia’s Region Five between the Ethiopian Government and rebels of the al-Itihad al-Islam fundamentalist group which has bases in Somalia. From Mogadishu, Ali Musa Abdi faxed this report:
Reports from the southern region of Gedo said Ethiopian forces attacked the border towns of Dolow, Luq, and Bulohawo last night. According to the report, about two battalions of Ethiopian troops supported by tanks, armored vehicles, and fighter planes attacked the three towns and took control of them.
A statement released by Al-Itihad Al-Islam in south Mogadishu, said that they had repulsed the Ethiopian forces, and had inflicted heavy losses on them. They claimed to have killed over 100 Ethiopian troops but also admitted to having lost 15 of their own troops. Al-Itihad Al-Islam also said that Ethiopian soldiers have been killing civilians in the border towns as well as destroying buildings and water wells. According to Al-Itihad, former Somali soldiers from the Marehan Clan of Siad Barre now belonging to the Somali National Front are fighting alongside the Ethiopian troops.
Al-Itihad had been ruling these towns since the downfall of Siad Barre’s regime. They introduced Shari’ah law, and banned the use of narcotic drugs, alcoholic drinks, and smoking.
FBIS-AFR-96-156, 12 Aug. 1996, p. 11
The Somali History Archive 