MOGADISHU, June 14: Islamist militias tightened their grip over Somalia by seizing a key town on Wednesday and the parliament approved deployment of foreign troops, a decision likely to imperil relations with the newly powerful Islamists.

Islamist fighters loyal to Sharia courts seized the town of Jowhar in a brief assault, routing once-influential warlords — whom they ran out of Mogadishu last week — from their last major stronghold.

Leaving little doubt over their plans to impose Islamic rule over the lawless Horn of Africa country, the courts laid down an 8pm curfew and guaranteed security based on Islamic law.

“Beginning from now the Shariat courts will be the only rule in this region and the people of Jowhar should understand that,” Islamic Courts Union Chairman Sharif Sheikh Ahmed told reporters in Jowhar.

Four people were killed and between 10 and 18 wounded during the Islamists’ advance with heavy artillery and machine guns, militia sources said.

The capture of Jowhar, 90kms north of Mogadishu, gives them control of much of southern Somalia and poses considerable risk to the weak interim government based 200 kms northwest in Baidoa.

Jowhar had been the government’s first temporary seat, but it moved in April as the Mogadishu battle between the Islamists and the warlords, which had killed 350 people since February, threatened to spill over.—Reuters