Government forces, backed by Ethiopian troops, have taken over the last stronghold of Islamic fighters, forcing them into retreat. Rob Crilly, correspondent for The Times in Mogadishu, says that while people have welcomed a new sense of freedom, there are major concerns about law and order in the capital.

"The mood is very tense, as it has been ever since the Islamic courts left. The vast majority of the population is very worried about a return to the instability and chaos that the warlords brought.

"The feeling is that the Islamic courts at least bought some sense of law and order, but now security is uncertain. Everyone I have spoken to – even those who didn’t like the courts – says it’s much more dangerous now. A few weeks ago, people were happy to walk about late at night, but now they report hearing gunfire at night and the streets are empty.

"On the other hand, I spoke to some people who were out dancing, listening to Western music and rap, with many of the women not wearing headscarves – none of which would have been allowed under the Islamic courts. They said they welcomed the sense of freedom that has come about but even so, remain concerned about law and order. And people are worried it could get a lot worse.

"Mogadishu remains deeply divided - the Government is loathed in some parts, and tolerated in others. At the moment, there is no out-and-out fighting as such, which is down to the Ethiopian forces who are maintaining a very low-key presence just outside the city. They are keeping a lid on things for the moment, but can’t do this forever.

"Very little has been done to address the problem of what happens next. Ali Mohamed Gedi, the Prime Minister, has made two requests – for people to hand over their weapons, and for the international community to send peacekeepers from the African Union.

"But neither of these proposals seem realistic; Somalians are unlikely to give up their weapons until such a time when the Government can secure their security. I went to one of the places intended for handing over weapons and was told that not a single pistol had been handed over.

"The presence of the Ethiopians is being tolerated for the timebeing but if they remain for too long, it could cause problems. I spoke to a warlord who told me he was happy for the Ethiopians to fight the Islamists – which he termed al-Qaeda – but does not want them to stay once the country is secured, whether this is a matter of days or weeks.

"So fears remain that either the Ethiopians will leave and the Government will be unable to secure the country, or that they will stay and possibly inflame feelings against them."

"And it is not clear when they will leave – the Ethiopians went in to drive out the Islamists and they have always said they will leave when that is done. But Gedi is likely to want to them to stay for as long as possible – he doesn’t have the forces to consolidate the gains made in the last ten days."

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