A new spate of violence has hit Mogadishu and its Indian Ocean waters as various warlords try to position themselves ahead of the expected withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia.

It is only last month that a United Nation’s-brokered accord was signed that would ultimately see the departure of Ethiopian troops that have baby-sat the shaky interim government. But the departure of Ethiopian troops should not be carried out without an African Union and UN peace-keeping structure on the ground. This is because the little gains made over the last few months, despite constant law and order breakdown, could be lost forever.

That the Transitional Federal Government and the faction of the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia want Ethiopia to withdraw and in its place put an international military unit is welcome. This is because the Ethiopian troops have ran the risk of playing a partisan role in the war ravaged nation.

But the number of accords signed by the various movements emerging in Somalia is worrying too. The UN should lead from the front and not allow the Nairobi accord to collapse.

We are at the moment witnessing failure of international policy towards Somalia.

It is upon the international community to decide who holds sway in the country.

That various countries have taken sides with each grouping is worrying. The Somalia crisis is an international scandal. It must be sorted now.