IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author): “Information on whether all Ethiopian troops have withdrawn from the Gedo; on whether the Somali National Front (SNF) actively supports the Ethiopian troops and on whether Ethiopian troops withdrew from Somalia on 10 August 1996 and later re-entered Somalia [SOM25587.E]”, Document #1346184

Information on whether all Ethiopian troops have withdrawn from the Gedo; on whether the Somali National Front (SNF) actively supports the Ethiopian troops and on whether Ethiopian troops withdrew from Somalia on 10 August 1996 and later re-entered Somalia [SOM25587.E]

According to a 2 October 1996 article in Jane's Defence Weekly, Ethiopian troops withdrew from the towns of Beled-Hawo and Luk in August 1996, but remained in Dolo town, which is divided into Somali and Ethiopian halves by a river. However, citing Radio Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, the Africa Research Bulletin stated that the towns of Dolo, Belet-Hawo and Lugh in the Gedo region "were briefly occupied by Ethiopian forces backed by helicopter gunships, tanks and artillery on August 8th and 9th" (26 Sept. 1996, 12357).

Several reports indicated that Ethiopian troops had been backing the Somali National Front (SNF), which is competing with the al-Itahad for control of the Gedo region (United Communication Group 26 Sept. 1996; Jane's Defence Weekly 2 Oct. 1996; Africa Research Bulletin 26 Sept. 1996, 12357).

Al-Ittihad al-Islam, a Moslem fundamentalist group, claimed that it fought Ethiopian troops that had crossed into Somalia in Dolaw town in September 1996 (Reuters 23 Sept. 1996; United Communication Group 23 Sept. 1996; The New York Times 25 Sept. 1996; AP 30 Sept. 1996). However, there was no independent conformation of the Ethiopian troops invasion (Ibid.). According to the 25 September 1996 New York Times and the 26 September 1996 United Communication Group, Ethiopian forces fired artillery across the border into Somalia territory in September 1996.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [London]. 26 September 1996. Vol. 33, No. 8. "Ethiopia-Somalia: Action Against al-Itahad."

Associated Press (AP). 30 September 1996. "Muslim Group Says it Abducted Somali Faction Leader." (NEXIS)

Jane's Defence Weekly [London]. 2 October 1996. Vol. 26, No. 14. "Ethiopian Soldiers Die in Conflict with Somalis." (NEXIS)

The New York Times. 25 September 1996. Final Edition. "World News Briefs; Ethiopian Forces Said to Fire on Somalia." (NEXIS)

Reuters. 23 September 1996. BC Cycle. "Somali Group Says it Repulsed Ethiopian Attack." (NEXIS)

United Communications Group. 26 September 1996. "Somalia-Islamic Group, SNF Resume Fighting." (Sept. 26 BBC). (NEXIS)

_____. 23 September 1996. "Somalia- Ethiopia Attacks Moslem Group's Base." (NEXIS)

Attachments