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DATE=7/15/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251799
TITLE=SOMALIA / ETHIOPIA (L)
BYLINE=ALISHA RYU
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  AS MANY AS FIVE-THOUSAND ETHIOPIAN TROOPS ARE SAID TO 
HAVE CROSSED INTO SOUTHERN SOMALIA AND ARE HEADING EAST TOWARD 
AREAS CONTROLLED BY A SOMALI CLAN LEADER.  ACCORDING TO 
WITNESSES, THE TROOP CONVOYS INCLUDED HEAVY ARTILLERY, ARMED 
PERSONNEL CARRIERS, AND TRUCKS CARRYING SUPPLIES AND AMMUNITION. 
AS V-O-A'S ALISHA RYU REPORTS FROM OUR EAST AFRICA BUREAU, THE 
OFFENSIVE IS AIMED AT CAPTURING BASES WHERE ETHIOPIAN REBELS ARE 
REPORTEDLY BEING TRAINED.
TEXT:  CIVILIANS ARRIVING IN THE SOMALI CAPITAL, MOGADISHU, ON 
WEDNESDAY SAY THEY SAW THREE ETHIOPIAN CONVOYS CROSSING INTO 
SOUTHERN SOMALIA.  
THE TROOPS ARE HEADING TOWARD THE COAST -- APPARENTLY TO AREAS 
UNDER THE CONTROL OF SOMALI FACTION LEADER HUSSEIN MOHAMED AIDID.
THE TROOPS REPORTEDLY ARE TARGETING THE SOUTHERN TOWN OF KISMAYO,
AS WELL AS A MILITARY BASE AND AN AIRSTRIP 90 KILOMETERS WEST OF 
MOGADISHU.  
ETHIOPIA BELIEVES MR. AIDID IS USING THE STRONGHOLDS TO HELP 
TRAIN REBEL GROUPS WHO WANT TO OVERTHROW THE ETHIOPIAN 
GOVERNMENT.
MR. AIDID -- WHO IS ALLIED WITH ETHIOPIA'S NORTHERN ENEMY, 
ERITREA -- IS SAID TO BE MOBILIZING HIS FORCES TO COUNTER AN 
ETHIOPIAN ATTACK.  HE ACCUSES ETHIOPIA OF USING THE PRESENCE OF 
ETHIOPIAN REBELS IN HIS TERRITORY AS A EXCUSE TO INVADE SOMALIA.
THE 14-MONTH BORDER WAR BETWEEN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA SPILLED INTO
SOMALIA IN JANUARY WHEN DIFFERENT SOMALI FACTIONS BEGAN TAKING 
SIDES.  IN A BID TO UNDERMINE THE OTHER, THE TWO WARRING 
COUNTRIES ARE BELIEVED TO BE SUPPLYING WEAPONS, AMMUNITION AND 
SOLDIERS TO THEIR ALLIES TN SOMALIA.
SOMALIA HAS BEEN WITHOUT A GOVERNMENT SINCE 1991 WHEN CLAN 
LEADERS UNITED TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT MOHAMED 
SIAD BARRE.  FACTIONAL FIGHTING SINCE THEN HAS CARVED UP THE 
COUNTRY INTO PERSONAL FIEFDOMS PROTECTED BY ARMED MILITIAS.  
(SIGNED)
NEB/AR/JWH/KL
15-Jul-99 9:06 AM EDT (1306 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.