What is the history behind the current Somali-Ethiopian conflict.?

Question

Can someone give me their view of the situation?

Answer 1

This conflict dates back over a thousand years. The root of it all lies in the fact that Ethiopia is predominately Christian and Somalia is predominately Muslim. Currently, the UN backed Somali government was ousted from control over much of central and all of southern Somalia in the '90's by various warlords, who in turn split and lost power to Islamic radicals. Ethiopia decided to lend a hand to the real Somali government, and helped them put the radicals on the run. Now, the Somalis living in Mogadishu want the Ethiopians to leave before they hand over their weapons to the real Somali government. "We are protesting against the disarmament and the Ethiopian presence in the country. We cannot accept disarmament under occupation," Haeyle Abdulle Hussein, 23, told The Associated Press. "We will wage a holy war instead."

Answer 2

This is all tied to Darfur. There is a cry for the killing in that region to stop however the warlords in the area really have no intention of doing that. we are tied up in Iraq and Afganistan so we really couldn't go there. So enter the UAN (United African Nations) of which Ethiopia is a big member of. The UAN took charge of the situation and started sending in troops, by the way these same people have asked us not to get involved with Darfur.

So since Ethiopia is a huge member of the UAN and actually a neighbor of Somalia if I am not mistaken, they have placed the lions sharre of the troops in the region. This is actually a UN action and trying to stop the killing in Darfur.

That is the situation as I understand it.

Answer 3

al Qaida backed warlords were trying to take over the country. It was a chaotic Civil War. The Samali government asked Ethiopia to send troops to help drive out the rebels. Ethiopia complied. They did, and now the warlords who were fighting are trying to reconcile, so they can keep their power. There are still pockets of rebels around the country. Ethiopia is staying to help end the violence.