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| Africa Horn |
| Calm settles over Mogadishu with Islamic courts in charge |
| 2006-06-15 |
| Ir-Togt gun bazaar takes its name from the sound of AK-47 assault rifles being fired into the air as buyers test the merchandise. But today its streets are quiet. "This is an American gun - an M16. And there, those are all Russian," says Ali Mohamed, smiling to reveal a mouth filled with metal teeth. He has sold rifles and ammunition to all sides in the anarchy of Mogadishu ever since the collapse of President Siad Barre's brutal regime in 1991. Things have never been so quiet, he says. Two weeks ago AK-47s sold for $550 as fresh fighting consumed the city. This week, he cannot move them for $350. "Before, there were always two or three groups that I could sell to. Now there is just the Islamic courts and we are worried that they will bring peace here and put us out of business," he says. A sense of calm has descended on the rubble-filled capital of Somalia since a coalition of Islamists, promoting a strict adherence to sharia law, announced their militias had taken control of the city last Monday. Their victory ended the 15-year rule of the warlords - a motley bunch of armed businessmen, gangsters, and militia leaders. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #5 For the Somalieeeee.... England! |
| Posted by: 6 2006-06-15 17:20 |
| #4 country's lucrative telecoms But of course! The call centres and E-business that are needed for the lucrative "nigerian" letter scam. |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 2006-06-15 12:15 |
| #3 beer_me? Hey! Is that you? |
| Posted by: 6 2006-06-15 10:35 |
| #2 "Before, there were always two or three groups that I could sell to. Now there is just the Islamic courts and we are worried that they will bring peace here and put us out of business," he says. Perish the thought. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-06-15 06:10 |
| #1 "Among the more hard-line elements of the courts is Sheikh Mohamed Siyad. "We are Muslims and must work at implementing Koranic law - democracy will not work," he says." Prepare for the lash and the leash. |
| Posted by: beer_me 2006-06-15 02:24 |