Islamic forces abandon Somalia's capital

[ellisonz]

Islamic forces abandon Somalia's capital
By SALAD DUHUL, Associated Press Writer 30 minutes ago
MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Islamist forces who have controlled Somalia's capital for months abandoned the city Thursday after government forces advanced to within striking distance. Looting broke out and clan leaders called for calm.

Gunmen who had been allied with Islamist militias changed out of their uniforms and submitted to the command of traditional elders. Gunfire echoed through the streets as the fighters began looting Islamist bases and buildings belonging to Islamist officials, witnesses said. One resident said three men and a woman had been killed in the looting.

Clans called on their young men to form militias to protect their neighborhoods. Hussein Haji Bod, a well-known clan leader, appealed for calm and said elders would meet Thursday to discuss the future of the capital. The government was expected to offer the clans a truce.

"I have seen that the Islamists are defeated, I'm going to rejoin my clan," said one gunman, Mohamed Barre Sidow. "I was forced to join the Islamic courts by my clan, so I now I will return to my clan and they will decide my fate, whether I join the government or not."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061228/ap_on_re_af/somalia

[necso]

1. Hopefully,

Ethiopia will pull out soon (presuming the story is true).

And, hopefully, Somalia can avoid the fate of Afghanistan (a central government with little power or sway -- except as (largely) enforced by foreign troops/mercenaries; the resurgence of violence by the "defeated" party). It's a difficult task to govern a clan (warlord) oriented society: preserving order; keeping clan leaders (traditional/de-facto power-figures) from committing abuses and excesses, etc -- but stopping (far) short of dictatorial policies and powers.

[maddezmom]

2. Somali govt captures Mogadishu - lawmaker

MOGADISHU, Dec 28 (Reuters) - A Somali lawmaker said the government had captured the capital Mogadishu on Thursday, but a government spokesman could not immediately confirm that.

"The government has taken over Mogadishu. We are now in charge," MP Mohamed Jama Fuuruh told Reuters by telephone. "There will be no problems and everything will be fine".

Government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said: "We are taking control of the city and I will confirm when we have established complete control."

Hours earlier Islamist leaders abandoned their former stronghold in the face of advancing government and Ethiopian troops.

link: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L28471981.htm

[Kagemusha]

3. Mogadishu wasn't their base of support to begin with.

I don't think the last has been heard from the Islamists, but certainly, by Western military conventional standard, this is a rather spectacular win for Ethiopa against a weak conventional opponent. Whether viewing this through such a conventional warfare lens is correct in the longer term remains to be seen.

[rpannier]

4. I predict soon we will find out just how much sway that scrub holds over this

If we see the Ethiopian President in a crappy military jumpsuit aboard a ship with the banner "Mission Accomplished" on it behind him. And, Ethiopia ceases its assault on the Islamic group in Somalia and begins an invasion of ohhhhhh, say Eritrea or Tanzania, then we know they're getting lots of advice from scrubbie and company.

on note: I felt the need to add a little levity and take a cheap (but correct) shot at the sheer incompetance of scrub.:evilgrin: