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Warlords dig in at Jowhar for last stand
Tension gripped the Somali town of Jowhar yesterday amid fears that Islamic militia planned to attack the last stronghold of the US-backed warlord alliance and shatter a week-long lull in deadly factional clashes. As hundreds of Islamic fighters headed north from their camp in Hiilweyne, 23km outside Mogadishu, the capital, gunmen loyal to the warlords entrenched positions in Jowhar, about 90km away, residents and militia commanders said.The warlords' militia commander, Jendayi Dheere, said his forces were ready to defend the town from Islamic raids. "I will not order any attack, but if we are attacked, we are fully prepared to defend ourselves," he said. An elder said: "The situation here is very tense. Nobody knows what will happen." Despite losing control of Mogadishu, the warlords have rejected the authority of the Islamic courts and threatened to resist any bid to dislodge them. Hardline elders have called for the warlords to surrender peacefully, vowing to evict them from their hideout. "If the warlords refuse to surrender, that would lead to renewed fighting. Even the most foolish person understands that," said Hassan Jumale, an elder allied to the Islamic courts. Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-06-13 |
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