Islamic Militants Rebound in Somalia

Somali Transitional Federal Soldiers with an anti aircraft gun mounted on the pickup and soldiers carrying AK 47's in the street of Mogadishu, Friday, April 27, 2007. Resident's of Somalia's shattered capital began returning home Friday, following the government's claim of victory after nine days of fierce fighting with Islamic insurgents. But questions remained over how long the peace would last. Somali troops and their Ethiopian allies have been trying to wipe out the insurgents since late March, with the unrelenting rain of mortar shells and artillery taking the highest toll on civilians. Rights groups say the fighting killed more than 1,000 people and sent up to 400,000 fleeing for safety. (AP Photo/Mohamed Abdulle Hassan Siidi) (Mohamed Abdulle Hassan Siidi - AP)

NAIROBI, Kenya -- A day after the Somalia's interim government claimed victory in its battle with Islamic militiamen in the capital, they were back Friday _ attacking a Mogadishu hotel used by top officials.

Driven from power last year by a Western-supported offensive, the Islamists have fresh recruits and new funding and are threatening to turn the country back into a haven for al-Qaida.

More than 1,400 people have been killed over the last month, 400 in the last five days, in violence caused at least in part by the militants, who have been infiltrating towns across the country.

At stake is the most strategically located nation in the Horn of Africa _ a lawless land that is a crossroads between the Middle East and Africa and dominates important sea lanes. A U.N.-supported government has tried to exert control, but has influence over only a tiny part of the territory.

The government's failure has opened the door for a resurgence by Islamic radicals who grabbed power for six months last year, filling Somalia's power vacuum with a strict religious government. Like the Taliban who once ruled Afghanistan and hosted Osama bin Laden, the Somali movement, the Council of Islamic Courts, harbors al-Qaida terrorists, U.S. officials say.

The U.S. ambassador in Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, who also oversees Somalia issues, said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press that the group is a danger not only to Somalia but surrounding countries.

Its military wing, the Shabab, harbors al-Qaida members responsible for terror attacks in Kenya and Tanzania, he said, and Saudi Arabia's government worries Somalia has become an important training ground for Saudis affiliated with al-Qaida, much as Afghanistan once was.

"We regard it as a real danger that the Council of Islamic Courts remnants are clearly making very significant efforts to regroup," he said.

Small Shabab units were sent to the towns of Kismayo, Merka and Jowhar on Saturday, a Shabab member said, asking not to be identified for fear of retribution.

A more senior Shabab member said the group has rebounded since the Western-supported military sweep led by the Ethiopian army.

"We were defeated by the Ethiopians and driven from Mogadishu. We fled to the jungle. And we were bombed there, so now we are back in Mogadishu. We cannot leave Somalia, so we must fight to the death, or defeat the government," he said, insisting his name not be used for fear of being targeted.

He told AP the Shabab now has about 5,000 militiamen and recruits join everyday.