Somali government troops and their Ethiopian allies have entered Mogadishu, after Islamist forces abandoned the Somali capital.
Witnesses say some residents are cheering the pro-government forces but tension remains high. There are reports of looting and gunfire, and witnesses say at least five people were killed in the violence.
Islamist fighters left their posts as government forces advanced on the city Thursday after a week of fighting.
Some fighters were seen leaving the city, while witnesses say others took off their Islamist uniforms and re-joined clan-based militias.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said his forces killed between two and three thousand Islamist fighters in the last week. Those figures could not be confirmed. Mr. Meles said Ethiopian troops will remain in Somalia a few more weeks to help stabilize the country.
The United States urged Somalia's rival factions to resume peace talks, saying violence will not assure security in the long run. A State Department spokesman,Tom Casey said Thursday the United States continues to support a United Nations plan for an East African peacekeeping force in Somalia. He said the force would not involve the immediate neighbors of Somalia, which include Ethiopia.
Somalia's interim prime minister, Ali Mohamed Gedi, met with local clan leaders outside the capital to discuss the city's handover.
Government officials say they will take steps to restore order. In a statement, interim President Abdullah Yusuf said the government is committed to solving every problem Somalia faces through dialogue and peaceful means.
The fighting in Somalia broke out December 19th, after months of rising tension as Islamists took over much of the country's center and south.
The Islamists had earlier declared a "holy war" on Ethiopia, which backs Somalia's weak-but-internationally recognized interim government.
Somalia has not had an effective central government since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.
Witnesses say some residents are cheering the pro-government forces but tension remains high. There are reports of looting and gunfire, and witnesses say at least five people were killed in the violence.
Islamist fighters left their posts as government forces advanced on the city Thursday after a week of fighting.
Some fighters were seen leaving the city, while witnesses say others took off their Islamist uniforms and re-joined clan-based militias.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said his forces killed between two and three thousand Islamist fighters in the last week. Those figures could not be confirmed. Mr. Meles said Ethiopian troops will remain in Somalia a few more weeks to help stabilize the country.
The United States urged Somalia's rival factions to resume peace talks, saying violence will not assure security in the long run. A State Department spokesman,Tom Casey said Thursday the United States continues to support a United Nations plan for an East African peacekeeping force in Somalia. He said the force would not involve the immediate neighbors of Somalia, which include Ethiopia.
Somalia's interim prime minister, Ali Mohamed Gedi, met with local clan leaders outside the capital to discuss the city's handover.
Government officials say they will take steps to restore order. In a statement, interim President Abdullah Yusuf said the government is committed to solving every problem Somalia faces through dialogue and peaceful means.
The fighting in Somalia broke out December 19th, after months of rising tension as Islamists took over much of the country's center and south.
The Islamists had earlier declared a "holy war" on Ethiopia, which backs Somalia's weak-but-internationally recognized interim government.
Somalia has not had an effective central government since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.