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Shattered Somalia

Mogadishu is ground zero for the failed state of Somalia, a place where pirates and terrorists rule. Yet to the north, the breakaway region of Somaliland is stable and at peace. What happened?

/2009/09/somalia/img/01-war-torn-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-01.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1255994 /2009/09/somalia/img/02-islamic-militia-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-02.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre War Without End
Mogadishu Concealed in the courtyard of his home, a street vendor who has joined the Islamist militia called al Shabaab shows off his gun. The group has fought the newly formed transitional government with assassin's bullets, grenade attacks, and roadside bombs—and now controls most of southern Somalia.]]> /2009/09/somalia/img/03-tfg-pickup-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-03.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/04-lighthouse-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-04.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre qat. The mild stimulant makes the hardships of life in Mogadishu feel more bearable. Ten airplanes loaded with qat arrive at a nearby airport every day.]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1255996 /2009/09/somalia/img/05-charcoal-transfer-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-05.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/06-vacancy-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-06.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre Life in a Lawless Land On the shore children still play, and fishermen drop anchor nearby, but the hulks of derelict hotels stand vacant.]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1255995 /2009/09/somalia/img/07-hospital-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-07.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre Life in a Lawless Land A man pierced by shrapnel from a mortar strike near a mosque joins the scores of wounded who arrive almost daily at Medina Hospital. Since early 2007 Mogadishu has lost more than half its population, as civilians flee fighting between the government and insurgents.]]> /2009/09/somalia/img/08-relief-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-08.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre Life in a Lawless Land Many of the roughly 750,000 people who remain in Mogadishu are the poorest of the poor, like the mother and baby sheltering under a bullet-ridden truck at a feeding center. Jobless, often homeless, faced with soaring food prices, they survive on humanitarian relief.]]> /2009/09/somalia/img/09-bowls-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-09.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/10-traffic-tips-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-10.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/11-breakaway-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-11.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre Going It Alone
Somaliland Townsmen in the breakaway Republic of Somaliland shoulder goats to a boat for export. Hundreds of miles separate the former British colony from the turmoil in southern Somalia. With no international recognition and scant outside help, Somaliland's leaders have built a stable, functioning government.]]> /2009/09/somalia/img/12-salon-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-12.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/13-arrests-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-13.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre Oasis of Order Somaliland's fledgling government has managed to successfully crack down on pirates with a robust arrest policy. Last year authorities detained a crew led by Farah Ismail Eid (at left), now serving a 15-year sentence in Mandhera Prison.]]> /2009/09/somalia/img/14-packing-money-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-14.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre Oasis of Order Central-bank staff inspect newly printed Somaliland shillings, an independent currency created in 1994, a few years after Somaliland broke away from chaotic southern Somalia. ]]> /2009/09/somalia/img/15-bombings-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-15.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre Oasis of Order Rebuilt after dictator Mohamed Siad Barre bombed it flat in the late 1980s, Hargeysa is in the midst of a construction boom—with hotels like the City Center—mostly financed by returning expatriates. But experts worry Islamic extremists may be infiltrating Somaliland: In October 2008 suicide bombers struck locations across the capital.]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1255997 /2009/09/somalia/img/16-nomad-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-16.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1255998 /2009/09/somalia/img/17-guard-weapon-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-17.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/18-empty-pool-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-18.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1256005 /2009/09/somalia/img/19-qat-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-19.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/20-prison-guard-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-20.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/21-stimulants-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-21.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/22-flour-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-22.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/23-election-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-23.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre /2009/09/somalia/img/24-sheep-714.jpg /2009/09/somalia/img/somalia-60-24.jpg Photograph by Pascal Maitre http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1256006