Militant groups open fire on each other on the streets of Mogadishu

Islamic militant groups opened fire on each other in the streets of Mogadishu on 3 January 2009 as Ethiopian troops began a scheduled pullout from Somalia. Eyewitnesses stated that armed militants have taken over three abandoned police station buildings and have met no resistance from retreating Ethiopian soldiers. A spokesman for one of the many Islamist insurgent groups told reporters that armed fighters had been ordered into the police stations to ensure that violence does not break out in the absence of Ethiopian peacekeepers. The government of Ethiopia has maintained military troops and security forces in Mogadishu for the past two years in an effort to stabilize the lawless country. Ethiopian commanders stated that the withdrawal will be completed in stages with no definite end date.