Somalia faces martial law
Mogadishu and the rest of Somalia will remain under martial law for the next three months
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Saturday, 13, Jan 2007 04:57
Somalia's parliament has voted overwhelmingly to impose martial law throughout the entire country for a three-month period.
The Horn of Africa state saw the formerly dominant Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) ousted from power by the Ethiopian-backed transitional government, which had been based in the south-eastern town of Baidoa.
Attempts to crush the last pockets of Islamist resistance appear to be meeting with success but concerns about resurgent local warlords and tribes throughout the country are undermining future prospects for the central government.
In a bid to bring the whole of Somalia under the control of an effective government for the first time since 1991 the parliament, still sitting in Baidoa thanks to continued insecurity in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, voted for martial law.
This will outlaw demonstrations, prohibit weapons and give the country's president, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, the ability to declare a decree outlining the extent of the military crackdown.
Last week the US launched airstrikes against Islamist positions believed to be holding terrorists associated with the al-Qaida terrorism network, responsible for the September 11th bombings.