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Igad to send 2,000 troops to Somalia as EA talks tough
President Museveni at the Ethiopian Village restaurant and bar in Kabalagala, where one of the bombs killed 16 people. Photo/JOSEPH KIGGUNDU
Posted Monday, July 19 2010 at 00:00
It is this intervention that sparked the insurgency that gave birth to Al Shaabab after the Ethiopians pulled out in 2009.
Igad, which comprises Kenya, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda, is also planning to push for an increase of troops in Somalia to 20,000, by lobbying African Union members to provide the troops and foreign donors the necessary funds.
The regional body argues it is the only way to stabilise Somalia.
Some non-Igad countries have offered to provide troops to Amisom, the only problem being availability of funds to sustain the extra troops in Somalia.
“At the moment, our plan is to get additional troops comprising ethnic Somalis trained by neighbouring countries, Igad member states and East Africa Community member states,” said Mr Maalim.
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