Somali Islamists win another round

BBC report here:

Some 500 Somali fighters loyal to the last member of an alliance of warlords fighting Islamists in Mogadishu have surrendered, along with their weapons.
Abdi Qeybdid's forces had battled the Islamist militia for two days, leaving almost 100 dead and 200 wounded.

A BBC correspondent says the Union of Islamic Courts now controls 99% of the Somali capital and other key towns.

The Islamists deny claims made by the US and the weak, UN-backed government that they are linked to al-Qaeda.

And they'll deny it until bin Laden walks in their victory parade...

BBC map.