Islamist militiamen have opened fire on protesters in the Somali port of Kismayo, which they have just taken over. A 13-year-old boy is dead and at least two other people are wounded.
Witnesses say the militiamen fired on thousands of demonstrators Monday who were protesting the militia's takeover. They say the protests began after the Islamists took down a Somali flag and replaced it with an Islamic one.
The violence erupted less than a day after Islamists peacefully entered Kismayo, following the departure of government-backed troops.
Islamist leaders say they took control of Kismayo to stop the planned arrival of African peacekeeping forces from neighboring Kenya.
Meanwhile, witnesses say hundreds of Ethiopian troops have moved into the Somali town of Baidoa to support Somalia's weak transitional government. Ethiopia has vowed to protect the government, which has virtually no power outside Baidoa and surrounding areas.
The Islamists control most of southern Somalia, including the capital, Mogadishu. The United States accuses the Islamists of supporting al-Qaida terrorists, and says they are planning to turn Somalia into a Taleban-style Islamic state.
The African Union recently approved a plan to send thousands of peacekeepers to the war-torn Horn of Africa country.
Somalia has not had an effective central government since 1991.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
