Somalia: Government forces seize another key town in Gedo region. : Somali troops, militia take two towns from rebels

TF.SF News:

Update Somali troops, militia take two towns from rebels

Daybreak report from Luuq district in Gedo region in northwest of the Somali capital Mogadishu confirms that the Somali government soldiers along with their close ally Ahlu-Sunnah Waljama a moderate Islamist faction have on Monday morning taken control of the district.

“The warriors of Al-Shabab have left the town in the mid night, of course their departure came after they heard that well equipped government soldiers are coming towards them, there are some people in the district who say that there are Ethiopian troops with them, but so far I have not spotted a single Ethiopian soldiers accompanying the Somali government soldiers” said a resident in Luuq district speaking to Somaliweyn website in condition of anonymity.

The report also adds that the government soldiers have advanced towards mountains areas on the outskirts of the district called [Kureetka], and have established temporary trenches taking care of possible attack from Al-Shabab.

This will be the second district which the government soldiers have ousted Al-Shabab within the same week. The government officials who are spearheading the sweep out Al-Shabab attacks have vowed that they won’t halt the fight against Al-Shabab till they eliminate them from the country.

The government soldiers with their Ahlu-Sunnah Waljama fellows have several other times taken control of Bula-Hawo district, but have pulled out again, and yet it’s not apparent whether this will be the same or different despite the vows they made.