A BEGINNING:

Rivals agree Somalia peace deal (BBC, 6/23/06)

Somalia's government and the Islamic group that controls the capital have agreed to end military campaigns at peace talks in Sudan.

The talks come two weeks after the Union of Islamic Courts took control of Mogadishu from an alliance of warlords.

The Islamists also agreed to recognise the legality of the interim government - a key demand - and to further talks.

Sudan's President Omar al-Beshir described the accord as "the beginning of the end of conflicts in Somalia."

Life under Mogadishu's new rulers: Unemployed Mogadishu resident Mohammed Abdirahman tells the BBC News website about life in Somalia's capital since Islamist militias seized overall control. (BBC, 6/20/06)

[T]rade has become easier. People are going about their daily lives, going to the market, setting up business. Near Bakara market, the Courts control the main street and people are happy as security is in a good state there.

And people can buy homes and cars and there is some functioning administration. A few of the people who fled their houses during the fighting have returned. But people are very concerned about the future of our city.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 23, 2006 8:35 AM