U.S. Troops Signal Intent to Take Guns From Somalis : Africa: Raid on Mogadishu arms market reflects shifting role. Faction leaders agree on March peace conference.

U.S. forces Friday signaled a campaign to get guns out of the hands of Somalis with a raid on an arms market in Mogadishu.

About 450 Marines backed by helicopters and armored vehicles stormed the market at midmorning and searched for weapons for more than three hours. They netted 250 rifles, an undisclosed number of armored cars and custom-armed war wagons, known here as “technicals.” They also seized a small tank.

While weapons were being confiscated in the Somali capital, 14 Somali faction leaders meeting in Addis Ababa agreed to hold a national reconciliation conference in the Ethiopian capital beginning March 15. But the accord fell short of charting a path to peace.

Friday’s raid reflected the shifting role of American troops here.

Just a few days ago, military spokesmen insisted that American troops would not move to disarm Somalis unless threatened. But Friday, Marines not only collected weapons at the market but also broke into private stores to search for arms. Only one shot was fired, when a Marine blasted open a locked door.

“This may be Dodge City,” said Marine spokesman Col. Michael W. Hagee, “but Wyatt Earp is here.”

Marines using a truck-mounted loudspeaker also advertised an offer to exchange grain for rifles: one rifle equals a bag of rice. A man whose store was raided tried to trade his weaponry for grain but was told he was too late.

The moves gave shape to a pledge Thursday by Lt. Gen. Robert B. Johnston, field commander for Operation Restore Hope, to bring Somalia to a stage of “stabilization” after the occupation of sea- and airports and the successful opening of food delivery routes.

“We are now in Phase Three,” Johnston said. “Now we focus on the technicals and gangsters. If they violate the rules of the game, they’re out of business.”

During the past week, relief officials complained that roving gangs had become emboldened by the Marine reluctance to take weapons. Marines also were fired upon with increasing frequency.

Early in the week, Marines pursued snipers who fired on them from a building. One Somali was reported killed in the chase. Thursday morning, Marines in tanks and helicopters assaulted two weapons compounds of clan-based militias that had fired on U.S. troops. After warning those inside to surrender, the Marines blasted buildings and captured artillery, tanks, technicals and other weapons.

Disarmament is a sensitive issue in Somalia, where clan militias measure their political power in bullets. The question is especially delicate in Mogadishu, where leaders of two of the most powerful militias are competing for power.

Thursday’s shootout pitted Marines against armed supporters of one warlord, Mohammed Farah Aidid. Friday’s raid took place in an area controlled by his rival, Ali Mahdi Mohamed.

Alterations in the military balance of power in the country would probably affect the outcome of the civil war, which was truncated by the U.S.-led operation in Somalia.

Fighting has been reduced and preliminary peace talks among 14 Somali factions were held in Addis Ababa this week. By the time Somali leaders reconvene in March, security for Somalia will be largely in the hands of U.N troops.

Somali critics worry that U.N. peacekeepers will be unable to safeguard relief supplies and separate warring factions unless militias are disarmed. U.S. officials insist that no nationwide disarmament is in the works. Rather, the raid was meant to discourage arms from appearing openly.

“We are sending a message that we will go after any weapon we can find,” said Marine spokesman Hagee. He said residents of the market area welcomed the raid and that there was no resistance. Those whose weapons were seized were “polite,” he added.

The accord signed Friday by Somali faction leaders called for an “immediate and binding cease-fire in all parts of the country under our control” and the end of “hostile propaganda against each other” ahead of the March conference, news agencies reported.

But the agreement will not be binding until the rival factions agree on how to implement the cease-fire and hammer out an agenda and a guest list for the planned conference. Previous truces among the Somali factions have been quickly broken.

Some Somali delegates doubted that leaders could persuade their unruly militias to end the bloody clan feuds that have plunged the country into turmoil.

“These generals are not sincere and they are not in control of the anarchy,” said one Somali academic quoted by Reuters news agency.

Others at the U.N.-sponsored talks said the Somali warlords have no political legitimacy other than gun rule, news agencies reported.

They demanded that national reconciliation be organized by figures such as clan elders, religious leaders and former politicians.