Rebels Take Key City in Somalia

Harrowing report from The Times’ Jeffrey Gettleman: Islamist rebels in Somalia seized the port city of Merka today, after government troops fled their advance. Rebels now control “most of the country”; Merka is a mere 60 miles from Mogadishu, which many speculate is the their next target. Making matters worse, Merka is the site the United Nations had used to disperse food and other aid. One official from the Somali government said, “We need help—urgently.”