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Ethiopian Troops Withdrawing From Somali Capital
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=15EA08F:A6F02AD83191E16036A2AC40EF3130A79574F7DCC14957C0 Officials say
soldiers began pulling out of Mogadishu, Tuesday





Ethiopian troops stand at attention during flag ceremony at Mogadishu
airport as they prepare to withdraw from Somalia, 23 Jan.
2007Officials say Ethiopian troops are withdrawing from Somalia after
helping to drive an extremist Islamic group from power there.

Somali and Ethiopian officials say the soldiers began pulling out of
the capital, Mogadishu, Tuesday.

Somali troops, backed by Ethiopian forces, seized control of Mogadishu
and surrounding areas last month after a two-week battle against the
Islamic Courts movement.

The Islamists controlled much of southern Somalia for several months
last year, and attempted to enforce strict sharia (Islamic) law.

The African Union's top security body has agreed to deploy 8,000
peacekeepers to Somalia, to support the country's transitional
government as it struggles to establish order in a nation mired in
anarchy since the 1991 overthrow of a dictator.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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