Factions begin talks about future of Somalia

However, he said, “The overriding imperative now is to bring together Somalia’s warring parties into a process of state reconstruction that will provide our best antidote against extremism.”

Thousands protest in the streets
Mogadishu’s largest and historically strongest clan, the Abgals, drew about 2,000 people to the northern part of the city Thursday, shouting “We don’t need Islamic deception!” and carrying signs saying, “We don’t need to see innocent blood being spilled.”

Recent fighting in the capital has killed at least 330 people, many of them civilians.

Two ministers from the interim government were meeting with “top leaders of the Islamic Courts Union” in Mogadishu about Somalia’s future, government spokesman Abdirahman Nur Mohamed Dinari said.

The interim government has been wracked by infighting. It has not been able to enter the capital because of the violence, instead operating 155 miles away in the town of Baidoa.

Several Mogadishu residents said Thursday they don’t believe the militia can reconcile its beliefs with the U.N.-backed government.

“The Islamists want to act on the holy Quran, and the government has its own secular transitional charter,” said businessman Dalal Abdi Mohmed. “I suppose their attitudes are irreconcilable.”

In a letter to the United States and other governments, the chairman of the Islamic Courts Union said the U.S. bore some blame for the bloodshed.

“The alleged support of the U.S. government to these warlords has contributed considerably,” said to the letter, dated Wednesday and signed by militia leader Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.

Fighting back to the capital
Residents of Jowhar said Thursday that the secular alliance of warlords is advancing back toward the Somali capital from their last stronghold of Jowhar.

The residents, reached by telephone, told Reuters the Islamists were pulling back toward the town of Balad, which fell on Sunday and is on the road to the capital.

They said Jowhar warlords, reinforced by allies defeated in Mogadishu and Balad, had moved into positions south of the town that were previously occupied by the militia loyal to Mogadishu sharia courts.

“The (warlord) coalition has moved forward to Qalimoy, where the Islamic courts militia was yesterday. While the Islamic militia have moved back and are now in Gololey, which is 12 miles from Balad,” said local farmer Abdi Warsame.

“I think they moved back because their leaders are busy meeting in Mogadishu and they want to tighten their defenses there.”

The warlords have vowed to win back the capital.

Earlier, Islamic courts chairman Sheikh Sharif Ahmed said his forces would not push into Jowhar unless they were attacked.

Scores of residents had fled Jowhar fearing an Islamist offensive. They had stopped leaving on Thursday.

“The town is much calmer. Residents are happy the Islamic militia have moved back,” Warsame said.

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