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Somalia: Islamic Courts Briefly Retake Jowhar Without a Fight
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Garowe Online (Garowe)
9 April 2008
Posted to the web 10 April 2008
Mogadishu
Fighters loyal to the Islamic Courts movement briefly seized control of the strategic town of Jowhar, 90km north of the capital Mogadishu.
It becomes the second time the Islamist fighters captured Jowhar in the past two weeks, underscoring the Ethiopian-backed transitional government's inability to rule the chaotic Horn of Africa nation.
Islamic Courts fighters seize Jowhar Apr 9, 2008/GO
The Islamists did not meet any resistance in Jowhar today.
Abdirahim Isse Addow, a spokesman for the Islamic Courts, told Radio Garowe on Wednesday that the Islamist guerrillas had withdrawn from Jowhar hours later.
He stated that Middle Shabelle Governor Mohamed Omar Delle and other government officials fled Jowhar before the Islamist takeover.
"The collaborators' power is weakening as shown by the fleeing Governor," Mr. Addow told Radio Garowe during a telephone interview.
Jowhar residents said Governor Delle secretly retreated from the capital of Middle Shabelle region overnight Tuesday after hearing word that the Islamist guerrillas were on their way.
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Upon entering Jowhar, the rebels freed prisoners and kept watch over government buildings from potential looters, as was the case during the March 26 takeover.
Four armored vehicles were confiscated by the Islamic Courts fighters, who burned the home of Governor Delle and a vehicle belonging to Deputy Governor Ahmed "Jandhay" Omar, according to local sources.
Somalia's interim government has faced a bloody insurgency since January 2007, when Ethiopian troops ousted Islamic Courts rulers from Mogadishu and installed the weak government.
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