United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is concerned that United States bombing in southern Somalia could escalate hostilities and harm civilians who are reported to have been killed in the airstrikes, the UN spokesperson said.
”Notwithstanding the motives for this reported military action, the secretary general is concerned about the new dimension this kind of action could introduce to the conflict and the possible escalation of hostilities that may result,” said spokesperson Michele Montas.
”He is also concerned about the impact this would have on the civilian population in southern Somalia and regrets the reported loss of civilian lives,” she said.
Ban said last week that the rout of the Islamic movement by Ethiopian troops and Somali forces supporting the country’s UN-backed transitional government offered ”a new opportunity” for the government to establish full authority throughout the country for the first time.
He urged the government to seek political reconciliation, called for the speedy deployment of African peacekeepers, and welcomed Ethiopia’s statement that it intends to withdraw its forces ”expeditiously”.
Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said he told Ban on Monday that a UN peacekeeping force may be needed to guarantee security and stability in Somalia, which has not had a functioning government for 15 years.
Solana said Ugandan forces may be the first deployed to replace Ethiopian troops, but he said the African Union is already carrying a ”very heavy” peacekeeping burden in Sudan, and the United Nations may have to step in instead of the AU and take over the next phase.
The EU foreign policy chief said he ”put that on the table” when he met Ban on Monday afternoon and did not expect an answer because the idea would have to be analysed by UN peacekeeping officials, ”but it’s something we have to think about”.
South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who met on Tuesday with Ban, said she wants to see the speedy deployment of peacekeepers from the seven-nation regional group known as Igad, which includes Uganda.
At the same time, she said, South African wants to see the dialogue continue between the Somali parties.
Even if a decision was taken today to send UN peacekeepers it would be ”well into the middle of the year before they can do anything, so our view is that we must expedite the deployment of those who are ready now,” Dlamini-Zuma said.
The Security Council, the UN, can give them support,” she said. ”They can give them resources to be able to undertake the mandate.”
Asked whether South Africa was prepared to contribute troops, she said she had heard that a request might be made and the government would respond if one is received.
Somalia has not had an effective central government since clan-based warlords toppled dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and then turned on each other, sinking the Horn of Africa nation of seven million people into chaos. The current government was established in 2004 with UN backing.
On December 6, the UN Security Council authorised an African force to protect the transitional government against the Union of Islamic Courts, which had taken control of the capital and most of southern Somalia. The council also authorised the force to train Somali government troops, and lifted a UN arms embargo for the African troops.
Montas was questioned by reporters on whether the US bombing violated the arms embargo. She said the council would be discussing Somalia on Wednesday and that the UN is trying to gather more information about the military action in southern Somalia.
Somalia’s President Abdullahi Yusuf said the US was hunting suspects in the 1998 bombings of two US embassies in East Africa, and had his support.
Montas said UN humanitarian operations in the area where the bombs were being dropped were suspended and international staff were evacuated before Christmas when the recent fighting started. ‒ Sapa-AP