January 12, 2006: The worst drought in ten years has left six million people in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti starving. The famine has increased the tensions in Somalia, where hungry people with guns often leads to violence. The new government is not able to protect aid supply movements, as there are too many armed groups willing, and eager, to hijack convoys of food and other supplies. The famine is thus making the return of rule of law to Somalia more difficult.

January 11, 2006: More tribal violence, over the control of grazing land, has left at least fifteen dead.

January 9, 2006: Over the last few days, battles between tribal militias have left at least nine dead, and perhaps 36 wounded.

January 5, 2006: The feuding factions of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) have agreed to stop feuding and get on with the business of establishing a nationwide government. But there has not yet been agreement to move the government from Baioda to Mogadishu. There are still major security problems to deal with. This deal was worked out during negotiations in Yemen.

January 2, 2006: American counter-terrorism commanders in East Africa believe that there are al Qaeda elements in Somalia, but that they have them under control. American forces are engaged in humanitarian, intelligence gathering and training activities in the area.