[War] Ethiopia: The Baidoa Aftermath [2]

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Ethiopia: The Baidoa Aftermath [2]
Minister of Defence, Ibrahem Ashenafi 
12th October 2006

"Okay," said Ibrahem to himself as he sat down at his desk. He drank some 
coffee and picked up the phone.

After a few rings and a staff officer in the South-Eastern Military 
District answered. Ibrahem asked to speak with the C-in-C immediately.

A pause, and then Lieutenant-General Tekle Haymanot came onto the phone. A 
veteran of the revolution against the Derg and the Eritrean war, he was one 
of Ethiopia's most highly decorated officers. Still reasonably young at 
only 47, he was also the most active of the military's top-brass, and a 
natural choice of C-in-C for the South-Eastern Military District, which was 
considered the most strategically important of the four districts.

"Ah, Mr. Ashenafi," he said.

"Yes. We've been reviewing the situation in Baidoa," the Minister of 
Defence started. He knew that with Haymanot, the key was always to do away 
with pleasantries and get straight to the point. "The government is 
considering widening our campaign in Somalia. To put it bluntly, the entire 
South-Eastern Military District is to be fully mobilised and combat ready 
within two weeks."

There was the briefest of pauses on the end of the line. Then, "Very well. 
It shall be done."

Ibrahem nodded and replaced the handset.

ACTIONS

1 - Fully mobilise the South Eastern Military District in readiness for a 
widening of the Somalia campaign. (The South Eastern Military District is 
the First Mechanised Infantry Corps - which includes the 8th Mechanised 
Infantry Division, the 43rd Armoured Regiment, and the 23rd Artillery 
Regiment. The 8th Mech. Inf. Division is two brigades of mech. inf., each 
comprising two mech. inf regiments, two tank companies and two artillery 
companies, and reconnaisance elements. The 43rd armoured regiment is two 
tank battalions - approximately 60 main battle tanks in total, plus a 
battalion of light armour. The 23rd artillery regiment is two artillery 
battalions of M109s and M1974s, plus an infantry battalion. In the SE 
Military District there is also a squadron of Su-25s, another of Su-27s, 
and one of MiG-23s, plus transport helicopters.)

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