Somalia's invisible war

A government soldier patrols the devastated frontline in Mogadishu
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

Newly trained recruits have uniforms and boots supplied by the foreign powers that trained them, from France to Sudan and Djibouti
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

"For the first time in many years the international community is interested in Somalia, not because of our suffering but because of al-Qaida." – A government minister
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

Government soldiers are manning the front lines in Mogadishu
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

In areas the insurgents control, an imposed regime of extreme sharia law makes the Taliban seem moderate
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

"We take films of the shelling and the bombing by the government and the African Union, and we show them to the young in the diaspora and they come here enraged and passionate." – Abdey Qadir, intelligence officer with al-Shabab
Photograph: Ghaith Abdulahad/Guardian

Senior officers sell their newly supplied guns and ammunition, according to a major arms dealer
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

Officers in the army say they haven't been paid for months and soldiers say they have no food to eat
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

Foreign fighters are joining the insurgents, bringing their experience as snipers and of directing mortar and artillery fire to the conflict
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

"According to our beliefs Somalia was never an Islamic country - it has to be liberated from apostasy." - Qadir
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

Doctors treat a Somali after he was injured in the shelling of African Union forces at Bakaro market in Mogadishu
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

Civilians living at the front lines in Mogadishu. Somalia's descent into anarchy began in 1991, with the overthrow of the dictator Mohamed Siad Barre
Photograph: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad/Guardian

Parents worry about their children, with large numbers of them among the recruits to the rebel groups
Photograph: Ghaith Abdulahad/Guardian