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Hiiraan Online
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, is in an easy calm for the third day in a row. Although no formal ceasefire has taken place, the districts that have been beset with heavy fighting such as
Yaaqshiid and Boondhere are witnessing a cessation of the fighting between pro-government forces and Islamic militants opposed to it.
Soldiers from the two sides, however, are still facing each other in the areas that have witnessed some of the heaviest fighting since the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops earlier this year. Upon visiting these areas one can see the destruction of the fighting caused and very few civilians remain in these areas.
There is little hope of civilian population returning to these areas in the near future as long as the two sides are facing each other and fighting can flare up at any moment.
The UN estimates that up to 100,000 civilians have been displaced as a result of the recent fighting. Some of these displaced people have settled in temporary make shift houses in the outskirts of the city while other either moved to other parts of city or entirely moved to other regions of the country.