planet earth looks blue

In Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, at least fifteen people were killed, several being civilians caught in the cross-fire.  Sixty more were wounded.  The newly named President, Sharif Sheik Ahmed, returned from Djibouti just the day before where he had been forming his government.  The battle began when troops who support Ahmed’s transitional government, both Somali and Ethiopian, rolled into a Muslim insurgent area with tanks and armored vehicles.  Once the fighting started, it spread, forcing civilians to flee their homes for whatever sanctuary they can find.  40,000 have already left this month, according to UN estimates, adding to the growing sea of refugees around the world.  

Ahmed, who is supported by the international community, is a former leader of the Union of Islamic Courts.  Before that, he was a teacher.  Four radical Islamist groups, the Islamic Front, Anole, the Ras Kamboni Brigade, and the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia, have all joined forces to fight Ahmed’s incoming transitional government.  The question is, how much of a chance does Ahmed have?  Portions of Somalia have been recently run by Islamist insurgents, who oppose Ethiopia’s military presence.  The people have given them support because they as well want the Ethiopians out, and have dealt with widespread human rights abuses from their occupiers.  Ahmed has African Union troops and some support of the people, but how quickly will this wane if he us unable to bring some form of stability?  And stability is just what the more radical Islamist fighters are trying to prevent.  Is this the beginning of an epidemic of more fighting in Somalia, or the end?