Al-Shabaab empties bases in Bula Burte town, Hiran region

Reports from Bula Burde town say Al-Shabaab militants on Sunday morning started emptying their bases in the town following reports that Ethiopian troops from Beledweyne town were on their way to the area.

The mass pull out of the militants heightened tension in the area, forcing local residents to flee their homes to escape the seemingly renewed clashes in the area.Although there are no official comments from militant leaders in the area, locals told Terror free Somalia that tension is now prevailing as militants keep on emptying most of their bases.The militant fighters reportedly started pulling out all their fixed positions in the town today early in the morning, with some reports of militant leaders fleeing the town to unknown destinations.Elsewhere, Mahas district authorities assured the public that three militant fighters who are now being held in custody after defecting from Al-Shabaab on Saturday will be arraign in court soon.Speaking to Terror Free Somalia , the area district commissioner Mumin Mohamed Halane said it is unacceptable for them to set free the three without facing justice since they never surrounded together with their weapons.He said the defectors had no weapons when they surrendered to their administration, thus raised eyebrows, adding that if they could have given themselves up together with their weapons they could have been given amnesty.The DC however did not disclosed the scheduled time for the alleged defected militants to go on trial.   H/T VIA kismayo24