The Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT) is a Somali alliance made by powerfull warlords and businesspeople, while some of them were ministers in the transitional federal government of Somalia.

ARPCT is a secular group that is belived to be funded by the United States, due to concerns that the Islamic Court Union, its primary enemy, is linked to al-Qaeda and is harboring al-Qaeda terrorists. [1] ARPCT fought against the Islamic Court Union in Mogadishu from February 18 until June 5. The Islamic Court Union (ICU), also known as the Joint Islamic Courts, is a group of Islamic leaders banded together in a self-appointed court system with Sheikh Sharif Ahmed as overall leader. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... The Islamic Court Union (ICU), also known as the Joint Islamic Courts, is a group of Islamic leaders banded together in a self-appointed court system with Sheikh Sharif Ahmed as overall leader. ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. ...

"We remind the warring sides that no one ever won a war during the past 15 years of fighting," said Somalian Culture Minister Abdi Hashi Abdullahi.

Somali Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys said on Radio Shabelle, the violence was started by the people who have proclaimed themselves to be fighters against terrorism. This battle is between us, the people of peace against those of evil. The clashes will only stop if forces of evil (warlords) request forgiveness. We shall fight on. Shaikh, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh or Sheikh (Arabic: شيخ), is a word in the Arabic language meaning elder of a tribe, lord, revered old man, or Islamic scholar. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

May fighting

Since February it was mostly peaceful until May 7th when fighting started again and alliance lost battle after battle. Now ICU forces are in control of Mogadishu and ARPCT founders are on the run, some are still in Somalia while other like warlord Mohamed Dheere, are believed to be in Ethiopia seeking refuge. ICU is an acronym. ...

External links

• Somali deaths in fierce clashes, BBC News, 24 March 2006
• From Clan Fighting to Ideological Battleground, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks, 11 May 2006
• Bloody street battles in Somalia, CNN, 13 May 2006
• Warring Somali ministers warned, BBC News, 13 May 2006
• U.S. Secretly Backing Warlords in Somalia, Washington Post, 17 May 2006
• Renewed Fighting Claims 11 in Mogadishu, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks, 25 May 2006
• Islamists claim control of Mogadishu, Al Jazeera News, 5 June 2006