MOGADISHU – Somali Government forces backed by African Union (AU) peacekeeping troops on Saturday announced that a central coastal town had been recaptured from Al-Shabaab militants.
The AU-Somalia mission, known as AMISOM, announced this in a statement in Mogadishu.
“The Somalia National Army (SNA) supported by AMISOM peacekeepers have liberated the coastal town of Adale in the Middle Shebelle region after Al-Shabaab terrorists fled the town,’’ the statement said.
It indicated that Adale, a key trading community, northeast of Mogadishu, fell without conflict as militant fighters fled as allied forces approached.
“The Al-Qaida-linked militant group of Al-Shabaab has lately been on the back foot as they were pushed out of a number of urban areas that had been under their control in the south and center of the country. [eap_ad_1] “The latest gains came as Somali government forces, supported by AMISOM peacekeepers launched a major offensive in September to widen its control into areas held by Islamist fighters of Al- Shabaab,” AMISOM said.
According to it, the aim of the offensive, which has so far recaptured six major towns, is to liberate more towns from the terrorist group so as to increase Somali government’s area of responsibility and control.
It added that the forces were already closing in on Barawe, a southern coastal town and one of the few remaining Al-Shabaab strongholds in the south of the country.
The joint force said that the militants had vacated the town to other areas still under their control and were forcing the residents to also flee.
“The town has largely been deserted as fleeing fighters leave behind booby-trapped cars and landmines to target the advancing forces,” the statement added. (Xinhua/NAN)
[eap_ad_4]