Somali militia talks collapse, new fight threatens

By Guled Mohamed and Mohamed Ali Bile

MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Talks between militias who unleashed
the worst clashes in years in Mogadishu collapsed on Wednesday,
fuelling fears last week’s fighting could resume and spread to
the seat of government.

Islamist militia seized a seaport and airstrip formerly
controlled by warlord Bashir Raghe in four days of clashes with
the town’s most powerful warlords. Between 70 and 90 people
were killed.

Since the fighting ended on Sunday, religious leaders and
elders have been trying to broker a full ceasefire, but the
warlord alliance — which dubbed itself the “Anti-terrorism
Coalition” — has not taken part.

“The talks have collapsed since they have failed to attend
sittings,” Islamist militia leader Siyad Mohamed told Reuters.
“It looks like they are ready for new fighting.”

Raghe could not be reached for comment on his mobile phone.

The warlords have been holding their own meetings, fuelling
fears among the Islamists, who are linked to Mogadishu’s
Islamic courts, that they were buying time to re-arm.

Local media said a large shipment of weapons had been
delivered to a militia led by warlord Mohamed Dheere. He met
the coalition in Mogadishu before returning to his stronghold
in Jowhar, the temporary government seat 90 km (56 miles)
north.

A government source said Ethiopia had agreed to supply
weapons on a weekly basis, but could not confirm the media
reports of a weapons shipment.

“If he returns to Mogadishu, we will attack Jowhar,” the
Islamist militia’s Siyad Mohamed said. “We have our own loyal
militia near Jowhar.”

Dheere did not answer calls to his mobile phone.

US BACKING?

Many in Somalia suspect the United States has backed the
warlord coalition as part of its anti-terrorism war.

That has given Islamist groups — most notably the Islamic
courts who have brought order to some parts of Mogadishu by
imposing sharia law — another rallying cry against warlords
with whom they compete for control of the seaside city.

Within hours of the coalition’s creation last month, its
gunmen and the Islamist militia clashed, killing 37 people.

The Mogadishu conflicts have already shaken efforts to heal
a rift that has all but paralyzed Somalia’s interim government
since it was formed at peace talks in Kenya in late 2004.

Most of the warlords are legislators or ministers, while
the Islamist factions have allies in the government.

Were the fight to spread to Jowhar, it could damage one of
President Abdullahi Yusuf’s few achievements — creating a
relatively stable home for his fractious administration.

He argues Mogadishu, where he is an outsider, must first be
made safe before the government moves there.

For the first time, the government on Wednesday said it was
no longer in Jowhar, spokesman Abdirahman Dinari told Reuters.

But diplomatic and security sources said it was still in
place, although many officials had moved to the temporary
parliament in Baidoa where Dinari said the government’s next
location was being discussed.

Yusuf’s reputed intolerance for religious extremism and
long relationship with Ethiopia, Washington’s strongest
anti-terrorism ally in the Horn of Africa, has put him at odds
with Islamist leaders in Mogadishu.

Warlords have controlled the nation of 10 million since
deposing dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Yusuf’s
administration is the 14th try at creating an effective
government there since then.