Somalia -- Poor Prospects for Peace

August 7, 2007: Most of the 400,000 Mogadishu residents who fled the major fighting in February-April belonged to clans that opposed the new government (which is supported by clans from outside Mogadishu, and several thousand Ethiopian troops). Since May, about 120,000 of those refugees returned. But that brought back many of the Islamic radical clan gunmen who are intent on regaining control of Mogadishu for their clans. The increased fighting since June has caused another 30,000 people to flee the city. Now the government and Ethiopian troops are again clearing out neighborhoods believed to be harboring terrorists.

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