KISMAYO, Somalia - Somali Islamists on Tuesday put down a small womenÂ’s protest in this key southern port and imposed a curfew after violent demonstrations by residents against their new Muslim leaders.| No pics of the Islamicists beating and beheading the wimmins; that will come as soon as the soccer stadium is cleared. |
“The Islamic courts are occupiers, we don’t want the Islamic courts here, we will not accept the rule of the Islamic courts,” they yelled before being dispersed.
Kismayo police commander Abdullahi Farhan told AFP only about 20 people were chanting and that only five were now in custody, including two women arrested after MondayÂ’s protest.
At least two people died in MondayÂ’s violence, according to residents, but the Islamists have vehemently denied anyone was killed or wounded, and despite TuesdayÂ’s brief incident and overnight gunfire, the port appeared edgy but calm.
Kismayo residents said they were told the curfew had been imposed to preserve the peace. “We don’t know how long the curfew will stay in place,” said Kismayo businessman Ahmed Sheilk Abdulle. “If the plan is to avoid violence, we can wait, but everything must have its limits.”
| Heh, good luck in dealing with your new occupiers. Sucks to live under Sharia, eh? |
The port was the latest municipality in southern Somalia to fall into Islamist hands since they seized Mogadishu from warlords in June after months of fierce battles. Islamist officials say they took Kismayo, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of the capital and 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of the Kenyan border, to prevent proposed peacekeepers from landing.