Ethiopian troops restrict movement in Southern Somalia
Baladweyne, 28, April 2012 (SDN) –Citizens living in the city of Baladweyne in Hiiraan region are fearful of Ethiopian troops based in the city, saying they face restrictions and cannot live freely.
A resident of the city spoke to our Mogadishu office via telephone describing the difficulties he and others face in light of military activity in the region. He said Ethiopian forces arbitrarily impose curfews on the city hindering movement and preventing people from earning livelihoods or leading any semblance of a normal life.
“You can be walking down the street and all of a sudden they are imposing a curfew, even at noon in the middle of the day, the worst is when the commuter buses are forced to wait outside of the city and are stranded for days on the outskirts of town, we are under a never ending curfew, we under siege” said the resident.
Witnesses have also said Ethiopian troops put citizens and shopkeepers at risk when they use public sources of water; they attract attacks from militants who leave improvised explosive devices to target the troops as they block the wells which also harm civilians in the area.
Baladweyne has been the site of targeted killings and explosions directed at Ethiopian troops in recent months, Al-Shabaab has accepted responsibility for the majority of these incidents.
SDN-Baladweyne