Islamic militia announced yesterday they had won control of Mogadishu from Somali warlords after the worst fighting in the lawless capital in more than a decade, residents said.

Members of the warlord alliance said their leaders were fleeing the capital. Around 350 people have been killed since February in several bouts of fighting between militia supporting Islamic courts and gunmen allied to a self-styled anti-terrorism coalition, widely believed to be covertly backed by the United States.

After the latest battle on Sunday, in which 18 people died, the Islamic militia took control of the strategic town of Balad, 30 km (20 miles) from Mogadishu.

They followed that by seizing a warlord stronghold in Mogadishu yesterday, expanding territory they have gained in the last few weeks during the latest, most bloody, bout of fighting. ?The Islamic courts announced they are in control of Mogadishu. They said they would work with residents to improve security in the capital,? resident Ali Abdikadir told Reuters by telephone after attending a public meeting addressed by the Islamic side.

?This is good news for us because the warlords were always engaged in battles, we are looking forward to a life without fighting,? he added.

Ali Nur, a warlord coalition militiaman, said most of the alliance?s leaders were fleeing the capital. ?We have no immediate plans. Most of our leaders have fled Mogadishu to Jowhar,? he told Reuters by telephone, referring to a warlord stronghold north of the capital.

Warlords have controlled Mogadishu since the 1991 ousting of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.