Ethiopian and Somali government soldiers line-up before embarking on a joint patrol in areas southeast of Dusamareeb. (Reuters)Somalia will expel thousands of Ethiopian troops stationed in the country to help with security by the end of the year unless Addis Ababa scraps a disputed port deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland, a senior Somali official said on Monday. Ethiopia offered Somaliland possible recognition in exchange for being allowed to set up a naval base and commercial port – a move Mogadishu has called illegal. Spokespeople for the Ethiopian government and the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) did not respond to requests for comment. But the Somali government has requested several times for the withdrawal of troops to be slowed down, citing setbacks on the battlefield.
