Ministers for national security, defence, finance and foreign-affairs but retained former warlord Hussein Mohamed Aidid as Interior Minister. 44 deputy ministers will also be appointed in the coming days. The Assembly was due to vote on approving the cabinet on 2006-08-26 but this vote was delayed amid fears that the new government wouldn't be approved. Rise of the ICU, Ethiopian intervention The government faced off against the ICU between June and December 2006, as the Islamists spread out from Mogadishu. Troops from Ethiopia protected the government position in Baidoa. Ethiopia claimed until recently the troops only numbered in the hundreds, comprising trainers and advisors for the federal government's army. The opposition Islamic Courts Union (ICU) claimed they numberered in the tens of thousands. On December 15, 2006, sixty government members, including Member of Parliament Omar Hashii, gathered in Mogadishu to protest the presence of the foreign troops. Late in December, the government won a series of victories at the battles of Baidoa, Bandiradley, Beledweyne, Jowhar and Jilib. At the end of the year the TFG took possession of Mogadishu and on New Year's Day, 2007, Kismayo. 2007 New administrator for Hiiran On January 1, 2007, Somali President Ahmed declared a new administrator for Hiiran region, replacing Dabageed. Hussein Mohamud Moalim was named as new administrator, and Saleyman Ahmed Hilawle was nominated as assistant administrator. Disarmament On January 1, 2007, Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Gedi announced "The warlord era in Mogadishu is now over." He said all civilian groups and businesses would have three days to disarm and turn their weapons in to the government. Technicals were to be brought to the old port in Mogadishu. All collected arms would be registered at Villa Somalia. An amnesty to Islamists was also extended. Replacement of the speaker On January 17, 2007, the parliament removed the speaker, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, by a vote of 183 in favor of removal to 8 against and one abstention. The Speaker had been accused of being absent from Parliamentary sessions for months, and for being supportive of the Islamic Courts Union. The parliament met in a converted grain warehouse in Baidoa. Parliament planned to replace the Speaker within two weeks. On January 31, 2007, Sheikh Adan Madobe was elected as the new Speaker by the Parliament, receiving 154 of the 275 votes. The runner up was Ibrahim Adan Hassan, with 54 votes. Sacking of ministers