Ethiopia completed Sunday its withdrawal from Somalia, two years after deploying thousands of troops to quell an Islamist insurgency that is still raging in its war-torn neighbour. Islamist groups still hold sway over much of Somalia outside the capital Mogadishu and the seat of the transitional government Baidoa, but the Ethiopians said it was mission accomplished as far as they were concerned.
"The Ethiopian army has successfully completed its mission in Somalia and it has been fully withdrawn," said Minister of Communications Bereket Simon. Ethiopia sent troops to Somalia in late 2006 to support the country's fragile transitional government against Islamist insurgents who had gained control of most of the country.
The Islamists were ousted from the main cities by early 2007, but new groups formed and still hold large parts of the country. "It was a successful mission. The major task to get rid of the extremist threat was accomplished in a swift way," said Bereket.
"We believe that the forces of instability led by the Eritrean government have been dealt a heavy blow by Ethiopia." Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of supporting the Somali Islamists, while the Eritreans had accused the Ethiopians of occupying Somalia.
The Ethiopian withdrawal had been one of the main demands of Somalia's Islamist-led opposition, but hardline militias have vowed to continue fighting government forces and African Union peacekeepers.