THE FIGHT FOR MOGADISHU:
The Rise and Fall of the Islamic Courts

Conference on Somalia in Washington

Presenter:
Alisha Ryu
Correspondent, Voice of America

Discussant:
Ambassador David Shinn
Adjunct Professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University

Wednesday, February 28, 2007
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Location:
The Jamestown Foundation
7th Floor Board Room
1111 16th St. NW
Washington, DC 20036

In late December, Ethiopia launched a large-scale offensive in Somalia and unseated the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) from power. Shortly after Ethiopia's intervention, the United States in January launched air strikes against suspected al-Qaeda terrorists in southern Somalia who were linked to the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in East Africa. While Ethiopia installed the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) into power in Mogadishu, the situation on the ground remains fluid and chaotic. In recent weeks, there have been sporadic attacks against Ethiopian and TFG soldiers by former Islamist fighters and other disaffected Somalis. It is difficult to determine the course of this conflict and whether the TFG will be able to retain power. Even more difficult is obtaining access to first-hand information about the situation inside Somalia.

The Jamestown Foundation is delighted to introduce Alisha Ryu, a correspondent for the Voice of America who has been monitoring events in Somalia for the past five years. Based in Nairobi, she regularly travels to Mogadishu and Baidoa in order to report on the chaotic situation in this anarchic Horn of Africa country. Ms. Ryu was the only Western journalist to witness and report on the ferocious fighting between Islamist forces and a U.S.-backed, anti-terror coalition of warlords last May and June in Mogadishu. She subsequently interviewed top leaders of the ICU, including Hassan Dahir Aweys, who is on the U.S. list of individuals with suspected ties to al-Qaeda.

The Jamestown Foundation is also proud to have Ambassador David Shinn, an adjunct professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, as a discussant. Ambassador Shinn served for 37 years as a foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State and was the Director of East African Affairs (including Somalia) from 1993-1996 and the U.S. ambassador to neighboring Ethiopia from 1996-99.

As space is limited, reservations are required. Please e-mail your name and affiliation to: rsvp-feb28@jamestown.org.

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