Somalis anticipate AU force replacement for Ethiopian withdrawal

February 21, 2007 4:47 PM

Residents of Mogadishu transport their belongings on push-carts as they join a mass exodus 21, February 2007, triggered by spiralling violence in Somalia's capital. The UN Security Council has unanimously approved the deployment of an African Union peace keeping force to Somalia, to be followed in six months by a UN force, following one of the heaviest artillery battles between security forces and suspected Islamists that killed atleast twelve on Tuesday.
STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images

The United Nations' Security Council has unanimously approved an African Union force to help stabilize Somalia. Ethiopian troops entered Somalia in late December to prop up a U.N. supported interim government.

As Ethiopian forces prepare to withdraw, A.U. troops are meant to fill the void. Just hours after that Security Council vote to authorize the force, one opposition leader said they will fight any foreign troops who are sent into the country.

Somalis here in Minnesota are closely following developments in their home country. Minnesota has the largest population of Somalis living in the United States.

Abdi Aynte edits the local Somali news Web site Hiraan Online. He spoke with MPR's Tom Crann.

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