Somalia: Declaration of Sharia Law

President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has declared that he will accept an insurgent demand for sharia law in Somalia. At the same time, he said that he will not accept a "strict" interpretation of the law, such as a prohibition on the attendance of women at schools.

The move is an attempt to abate the fighting around the country and establish some base of political support for the Government. Despite the violence, 40,000 Somalis have returned to Mogadishu in recent weeks, following the departure of Ethiopian troops and the installation of Ahmed as President.