Somali warlords condemn ambush

Even Mogadishu is not fully under government control

By Nita Bhalla in Addis Ababa

The leader of the group responsible for Tuesday's ambush of aid workers, Muse Sudi Yalahow, and his fellow faction leaders are in Addis Ababa to talk about reconciliation and peace.

Muse Sudi and more than 12 other prominent warlords opposed to the administration of President Abdulkassin Salat have united to form a council known as the Somali Reconcilation and Restoration Council (SRRC), which now speaks with one voice.

Mr Aidid condemned the kidnappings

The kidnapping has come at an embarrassing time for the warlords. They recently called for a national reconciliation conference to set up what they describe as a "legitimate" government.

According to the current chairman of the council, Hussain Aidid, even Muse Sudi Yalahow, the leader of the group responsible for yesterday's fighting, was surprised by the attack.

Mr Aidid said the council - which includes prominent faction leaders such as Muse Sudi, Osman Ali Atto, General Morgan, Shatigudud and president of the state of Puntland, Abdullahi Yousef - strongly condemned the kidnappings and regretted the incident.

President Abdulkassim Salat Hassan is struggling to impose his authority

"Muse and the other members of the Council are currently on the line to Mogadishu, trying to secure the release of the four aid workers that are still held captive by Muse's group," said Mr Aidid.

He denied that the faction leaders had orchestrated this to undermine the transitional government.

Instead he accused the interim government of Mr Salat of creating the unrest and aggravating the situation.

Factional infighting

Mr Aidid said Mr Salat had broadcast the arrival of the UN officials on the radio and used it "as a way of trying to prove to Somalis opposed to him that he was bringing money and foreigners into the country".

The UN staff sneaked into the country without informing any of the faction leaders

Hussain Aidid

Mr Aidid said the plan backfired, as those whose support he was trying to gain ambushed the MSF compound, angry that the UN, as they saw it, was colluding with the interim government.

Fighting then broke out between two sub-factions of Muse Sudi's group - those who were trying to protect the aid workers and those who backed the ambush.

Aidid added that the four UN staff had not followed the advice of the UN chief security officer for Somalia, Wayne Long. He said:

"They sneaked into the country without informing any of the faction leaders.

"They should have told us where and what they were doing, before moving around in areas which are under our control. If we don't know, how can we protect them?"

However, he reiterated that Mogadishu was a safe place for humanitarian workers as long as they followed a certain protocol when they came to the city.