Somali Clan Leader Sees Peace Glimmer as Foreign Peacekeepers Withdraw

Somali clan leader Mohamed Farah Aideed expressed optimism on Wednesday that the withdrawal of foreign peacekeeping troops from Somalia will aid, not hinder, efforts to achieve peace among rival factions in the war-torn country. Aideed's comments came during his first international news conference since arriving in Nairobi, where he has been meeting with representatives of 12 rival factions, including his arch-nemesis Ali Mahdi Mohamed. Aideed believes that a general consensus for resolving the crisis peacefully is developing and will yield results in the near future.

Key Takeaways:

• Aideed sees the withdrawal of foreign peacekeeping troops as a positive step towards achieving peace in Somalia.
• He has met with representatives of 12 rival factions, including his arch-nemesis Ali Mahdi Mohamed, and believes a consensus for resolving the crisis peacefully is developing.
• Aideed expressed delight at the withdrawal of US and other major allies from the UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia.
• He would not oppose the future presence of UN forces if they confined their activities to humanitarian assistance rather than military action.
• Aideed criticized the UN for spending billions of dollars on military action in a nation suffering from hunger and disease.
• He acknowledged that disarming militias would be impossible but said a national Somali police force could improve security.
• Aideed hinted at a major breakthrough in peace negotiations in Mogadishu soon.

Statistics:

• 12 rival factions are currently involved in peace negotiations in Somalia.
• $billions have been spent on the UN's military action in Somalia.
• Foreign peacekeeping troops are set to be withdrawn from Somalia by March 31.
• The Somali National Alliance is led by Mohamed Farah Aideed.
• The region of Somaliland has been independent since 1991.

Sources:

• [Source not provided verbatim in the original text]