Grim picture of life in Somalia
Updated on 15 October 2009
After almost 20 years of war and anarchy Somalia is one the poorest and most violent countries in the world. Jonathan Rugman reports.
The country has been without a functioning government since 1991. Insurgents control much of southern and central Somalia, and parts of the capital Mogadishu.
The hardline rebels clash almost daily with pro-government forces and African Union peacekeepers. Six months of strict rule by Islamists in 2006 brought relative peace to Mogadishu.
But that ended when Ethiopia's American-backed troops invaded and restored a transitional government, sparking an Islamic insurgency.
The last of the Ethiopian troops left in early 2009, having failed to stem the violence.
Viewers may find some of the pictures in the accompanying video shocking
