Africa

Somali, AU forces seize strategic towns

354576_Somalia-violenceSomali government forces with the help of African Union peacekeepers have captured several strategic towns from al-Shabab fighters in the central region of the war-ravaged country.

According to local residents and witnesses, the coalition forces entered more lands in central Somalia, including the towns of Buloburde and Buqdaaqable as well as the village of Raan-Gaabo in the Hiran region following a heavy fighting on Thursday.

“We are waging a none-stop offensive until we have liberated the whole country from the terrorists—our forces are now heading to the strategic town of Buloburde,” Somali military commander Colonel Mohamed Amin told the media before the forces seized the strategic town.

Buloburde, which links the capital Mogadishu to several major cities, had been held by al-Shabab fighters since 2009.

Al-Shabab has also lost several key towns in south to government troops in the past few days.

The Somali government has stepped up its offensive against al-Shabab after the group attacked the presidential palace in February, killing more than 12 people.

Al-Shabab fighters were driven out of the capital by the UN-mandated African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which is made up of troops from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Sierra Leone and Kenya.

The group, however, remains in control of large parts of rural areas in southern Somalia and continues to carry out attacks on the foreign troops in the country.

The United Nations refugee agency has recently raised concerns over the rising number of Somalis forced to leave their country as a result of violent clashes between government forces and al-Shabab fighters.

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