East African Nations Condemn Return of Hardline Islamists in Somalia

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, or IGAD, a regional grouping of six East African nations, has condemned the attempt by Islamist extremists to retake control of Somalia, following the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops. The Somali delegate at an IGAD foreign ministers meeting warned that security is at a critical stage in his country. The IGAD ministers issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the actions of what are described as "anti-peace groups" in Somalia. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development is a regional forum linking Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Djibouti. The emergency meeting was called a day after Ethiopian troops completed their military withdrawal from Somalia. The Ethiopians were immediately replaced in the provisional seat of parliament, Baidoa, by the hardline Islamic group al-Shabab, which already controls a large portion of central and southern Somalia.
An al-Shabab leader was quoted as promising to restore strict Sharia, or Islamic, law, which had been in effect before Ethiopia intervened more than two years ago to prop up the country's fragile transitional government.http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-01-27-voa64.cfm