(Sh.M.Network) - Armed militias that have set up a roadblock in north Mogadishu were apprehended by government forces after they were seen taking extortion money from buses. Bus drivers that work around Sinay and Bakara market at the center of Mogadishu town said they were pleased that road blockers were finally jailed for forcefully taking illegal money from them. Local clan elders and intellects, who are related to the militias, have taken a role in jailing them.
| It's the old free-lance toll collector routine. It worked pretty good until the Islamic Courts showed up and ran the hard boyz out of town. There's a chance, I suppose, that since they've now had their pants pulled down and been knocked over backward in the schoolyard that they've lost enough face that the local citizenry will greet them with flung fruit and bad names rather than cash. We can always hope. |
Illegal checkpoints set up by local militias have increased in different locations in the capital Mogadishu following the fall of the Union of Islamic Courts. Insecurity has also loomed in the capital as gunshots could be heard at nights and people feel afraid to walk at nights and even early in the evening. The civilian population in Mogadishu is concerned about the massive return of warlords to the capital and militias setting up checkpoints to take extortion money from people and passenger buses. Many of the warlords who spoke to the people through local radios promised they would not rearm themselves or recruit tribal militias. So far the promise seems to be fake as some of the warlords have begun buying arms from MogadishuÂ’s biggest arms sale, known as Ir-Tookte. |