[Edina]

Eyewitness: 'Everything is unpredictable'

Somali human rights activist Ali Said Omar, 27, describes the mood in his country's capital, Mogadishu, after Islamist fighters flee and Ethiopian-backed government forces arrive.

Bakara market was unusually quiet this morning. Most of the streets are empty. Businesses are closed, as are shops and restaurants. I saw a few groups of two or three people together chatting, and there are only a small number of cars around.

The big Muslim holiday Eid ul-Hajj is on Saturday and now this makes life even stranger as people were waiting for this celebration, looking forward to it. People should be doing their shopping now for the holiday but the shops are closed and everyone is remaining indoors. No-one wants to go into the streets. Anything could happen.

Waiting and shocked
Looting has been going on. Some of those involved freelance militia that were kicked out by the Islamists, but some are just opportunists, grabbing as much money as they can. Last night many, many people were robbed.
Speaking to people I did pass it seems as if our city is full of tears, waiting to burst. Most seem very worried, some terrified, waiting to know what to do.


People are very shocked because we were expecting that things would take longer. However, three days ago, when helicopters and warplanes appeared over our city and the bombs were dropped on Mogadishu airport, we got the feeling that what is going on is an international war - the war on terror.

The fighter planes were coming from the sea and US ships from their Djibouti base are in the Indian Ocean. People really do believe that the US is part of this mission.

Anger
Last night before the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) left they told the city that they were fleeing so that fighting would not take place in the streets, so women and children would not be harmed - they said we're doing this to save you.

Some people agree with the Courts' decision but some are angry that they have abandoned the city. Already things in our city are chaotic again and if this continues it will be a very catastrophic situation. If our city goes back to how it was six months ago it will be very complicated.
So much has changed.

'Easy to get a gun'
The weapons are now back in the hands of anyone who wants one.
When the Islamist Courts took control they recruited some of the different militia groups, trained them and taught them about Islam.

Our fear is chaos, confrontation. Chaos and conflict, lawlessness

Bron: BBC