Strasbourg, 07/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the European Parliament condemned recent armed combat in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, and events in Jowhar and elsewhere which led to many civilian deaths, including the death of Martin Adler, a Swedish freelance photographer at a demonstration in support of the Union of Islamic Courts. The EP notes that no central government in Somalia has been operational for more than fifteen years and there are fears that the Union of Islamic Courts, which has taken control of much of the country (including the capital) is connected with Al-Qaida. The EP urges all sides to resume the process of dialogue launched in Khartoum, Sudan (see EUROPE 9218) and for the recently established International Contact Group on Somalia (in which the African Union, Tanzania, the UN, the EU, Italy, Sweden, Norway and the United States are involved) to focus on questions of governance, developing institutions, regional security and humanitarian aid. The EP calls on the EU to work with the African Union and to work closer with IGAD (the Inter-governmental Authority for Development) and the Arab League to provide political, financial and logistic support as required to facilitate the peace process and send an African Union peace mission to Somalia. The EU and the international community are urged to step up the provision of humanitarian aid. The EP calls for strict application and tight control and monitoring of the UN 1992 arms embargo on Somalia which is not respected at the moment.