Ethiopian troops jail about 15 Somali clerics in southern Somalia

All voices: - ELBERDE – About 15 Somali clerics have been jailed by the Ethiopian troops who recently poured into Elberde district in Bakol region, just a day after the military forces of Ethiopia imposed night curfew to the district, witnesses said on Friday.

More Ethiopian troops with armed vehicles and backing the transitional government troops in the region had reached there after bitter fighting between Al-shabab fighters and government soldiers in over the past few days.

It is unclear the reason of the arrest, but independent sources said that the Ethiopian troops had suspected the clerics for supporting the Islamist movement of Al-shabab who seized the control of the district from the government troops and managed few hours.

“The Ethiopian troops arrested more famous clerics overnight; they were 14 Sheiks. Know them well, because they were the clerics of Elberde. We do not know why the Ethiopian troops took them. Even there are several young people missing until now,” said one of the residents through the telphone.

The Ethiopian troops had continued conducting operations in and out of the district as they arrived there and residents were reportedly expressing concern about the Ethiopian troop’s interference and fears of more other arrests.

The traditional elders and scholars had called for the Ethiopian troops earlier to vacate from their residential areas and halt the military move in the zones. All clerics were jailed in the prisons of the TFG administration in the region.

Al-shabab took over both administrations of the Somali government in Bay and Bakol, strongholds of Al-shabab administration in southern Somalia. TFG manages only two districts bordering Ethiopia

On the other hand Mr. Abdifatah Gesey, a governor of the transitional government administration in the region insisted that there were no Ethiopian troops in the region pointing out that the detained clerics were jailed by their troops after they were thought to backing Al-shabab forces who control much of southern Somalia.

The Ethiopian troops have completely vacated from Somalia in early 2009 and its incursion in the bordering district of Elberde in Bakol region, southern Somalia seems to be protection and support of the transitional government of Somalia which Ethiopia has close relation.

By: Hassan Osman Abdi