Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
Ahmednor Mohamed Farah
3 January 2009
Mogadishu — Islamic Courts Union forces have taken control of police stations in Mogadishu as Ethiopian troops started withdrawing from Somalia, officials said on Saturday.
Abdirahim Issa Adow, a spokesman for the Islamic Courts Union said he was deploying troops to three police stations to ensure the capital, Mogadishu, does not erupt in violence.
"We started deploying our forces in Mogadishu police stations to protect the civilians," Abdirahim said.
Ethiopian troops have been supporting Somalia's weak government for two years, but vowed to leave by the end of 2008.
Ethiopia said Friday its military withdrawal from Somalia was under way and would last several more days.
Officials have since declined to give an exact date because of fears the departure will allow Islamic insurgents to take even more control of the country.
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