Situation in Somali Capital Returns to Normal After Heavy FightingSituation in Somalia's capital Mogadishu returned to normal temporarily after heavy fighting between the transitional government police force and militiamen loyal to warlord Hussein Mohamed Aidid in south Mogadishu.At least five people including two policemen were killed and more than 20 others wounded on Thursday when the police force encountered an attack from the militiamen. The police Wednesday launched their first major operation in ten years in the country's capital Mogadishu to restore the rule of law in the city. Somalia did not have a central government until the election of President Abdiqassin Salad Hassan and 245-legislators at a peace conference in neighboring Djibouti last August. In the intervening years, factional fighting reduced the nation of 7 million into battling fiefdoms ruled by heavily armed militias. National institutions like the police and army collapsed in the ensuing chaos. But since Abdiqassin's administration set up shop in Mogadishu last October the fledgling government has been on a recruiting drive. |
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