MARGARET WARNER: And for more on what's happened in Somalia and where these events may lead, we're joined by Herman Cohen, who was assistant secretary of state for African affairs under the first President Bush, when the U.S. sent troops into Somalia. He's now president of Cohen and Woods International, a consulting firm specializing in African issues.

And Abdi Samatar, a professor of geography at the University of Minnesota. Born in Somalia, he's now an American citizen and last visited his homeland in February.

And, Professor Samatar,

ABDI SAMATAR, Professor, University of Minnesota: I think time will tell how secure that is, but what you have is, in my estimation, about 80 or so percent of the population of Mogadishu backing the Islamic courts.

And there were two demonstrations today, one small group led by two warlords and another group that were opposed to those same groups. So time will tell, but I think, for the time being, the city seems quite secure and that people are, in fact, able to get on with their lives in the evenings and in the middle of the night, when that was not possible when the warlords were in command of Mogadishu.

MARGARET WARNER: Help us understand who these players are. Secretary Cohen, who or what is the Islamic courts union or alliance, and where did it come from?

HERMAN COHEN, Former Assistant Secretary of State for African   Affairs: Well, when the government disappeared in 1991, there was anarchy, so local clans in Mogadishu essentially said, "We've got to do something to protect our security and give us some basis for public health and what have you."

So each clan formed their own Islamist court to provide justice and a little bit of security. And over the years, they've become stronger and stronger, because people felt, "This is all we have."

And, lately, they've formed a union and started to work against the warlords. And happily they've kicked most of the warlords out. That is a wonderful piece of news, that the...

MARGARET WARNER: Why is it a wonderful piece of news?

HERMAN COHEN: Because the warlords have caused tremendous hardship. They have roadblocks, shoot-outs, exactions. People were permanently insecure under the warlords, and it's very important to keep those warlords from coming back into Mogadishu.