Mogadishu: victors take control

December 29, 2006

Somalia's Ethiopian-backed caretaker government is preparing to take charge of Mogadishu for the first time since its formation more than two-years ago in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. The support of Mogadishu's clan leaders and war lords will be crucial to what will be the 15th attempt in as many years to restore central government to Somalia. But there are serious questions over whether the weak transitional authority can survive without the support of Ethiopian forces, which invaded the country earlier this month to rout an Islamist insurgency.