Fighting in the streets

last updated 8 January 2015

Mogadishu, Somalia

More than 20 civilians were killed in Mogadishu this week in stray gunfire from a battle between an Islamist militant group and several warlord bands. The Islamists have been trying to impose strict Islamic law, or sharia, on the anarchic Somali capital, and several local warlords have joined together to oppose them. The airport that aid agencies use is closed, and warlord groups that aren’t part of the anti-sharia coalition are taking advantage of the mayhem to loot.