Several hundred Somali soldiers briefly seized the southern port of Kismayu in a protest over unpaid salaries in the latest sign of the turmoil plaguing the Horn of Africa nation, residents said on Thursday.
| It was a lot easier to seize this time than it was when it was occupied by the Powerful Islamic CourtsTM, it would seem. I wonder if they had help from the Æthiops this time, too? |
Business was brought to a standstill as about 800 troops driving dozens of vehicles mounted with heavy weaponry took up positions across the town overnight on Tuesday, they said.
| I'm sure they looked, oh, so very impressive, and they felt very martial. |
Clan elders persuaded the men to return to their barracks on Wednesday after promising the government would pay their wages.
| The infallible sign of an incompetent administration is the troops and/or bureaucrats not being paid. |
"We have not been paid for the last six months," one soldier, Jama Hashi Hassan, said.
| I'da been looking for another line of work somewhere around month one of that condition. |
"We took over the port in order to press the government to pay us our dues."
| "And to pick up some chicks." |
One Kismayu businessman said the situation remained tense and that the soldiers -- many of whom were former militiamen who signed up recently with the interim government -- had threatened to take their pay by force from the port's proceeds.
| Another sign of a failed state is when the members of the army can make a seamless move to being members of bands of bandidos. Often they remain members of the army while they're doing it. |
"Business has badly been affected by the brief incident," said the man, who asked to be identified only as Ali. |