Good News on Sunday Morning
Somali troops and African Union forces have captured the town of Jowhar from the Islamist militant group,
al-Shabab, reports say.The troops encountered no resistance as the militants had fled, said a
military spokesman and residents in the town.Jowhar was the biggest town under the control of al-Shabab Islamists.The al-Qaeda linked group has been driven out of most urban areas over the
past two years, but still controls many rural areas of the country
.
Jowhar, 90km (55 miles) north of the capital, Mogadishu, commands access to
Somalia's biggest road linking the southern and central regions of the country.
It is also at the heart of a rich agricultural area.Strategic'
Correspondents say its fall is a major blow to the militants.“Start QuoteWe will hunt the invaders from inside and outside
Jowhar”End Quote Abdiaziz Abu
Musab Al-Shabab spokesman
"We took control this morning and are now establishing security in Jowhar," a spokesman for the AU mission in Somalia, Amisom, told AFP news agency."Amisom troops alongside Somali National Forces entered the town, there was little fighting as the Shabab largely fled ahead of us," Col Ali Houmed said.AFP quoted an al-Shabab spokesman as saying the militants had withdrawn "for strategic reasons" and remained "close by"."We will hunt the invaders from inside and outside Jowhar," Abdiaziz Abu Musab said.
"We took control this morning and are now establishing security in Jowhar," a spokesman for the AU mission in Somalia, Amisom, told AFP news agency."Amisom troops alongside Somali National Forces entered the town, there was little fighting as the Shabab largely fled ahead of us," Col Ali Houmed said.AFP quoted an al-Shabab spokesman as saying the militants had withdrawn "for strategic reasons" and remained "close by"."We will hunt the invaders from inside and outside Jowhar," Abdiaziz Abu Musab said.
Al-Shabab were forced out of the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011 by African Union troops who, with government forces, went on to take control of most of the militant-held towns.
Alongside the recent military gains, a new Somali president took office in
September, raising some hopes of a return to law and order after two decades of
anarchy
Somali troops backed by the African Union forces have captured Jowhar town, the last rebel controlled major town in southern Somalia, after militants pulled out of the town without defending it.The town has been under the rebel group for the last couple of years.Reports say the allied forces entered the town from main road leading to Mogadishu and pitched tents in several areas including the area regional headquarter police station, main airport and all checkpoints around the town.Confirming the fall of Jowhar, Commander of Somali Armed Forces, General Abdulkadir Sheikh Ali Dini, said they allied forces are now in full control of the town.Before the arrival of the allied forces, locals reportedly looted deserted Al-Shabaab bases taking all militant properties left.Jowhar is the second major town in Middle Shabelle region to fall into the hands of the government troop after Bal’ad which was seized control mid this year.In June this year, Al-Shabaab said it will not defend the town from the advancing Somali and AU forces, just two days after the allied forces wrested control of Bal’ad town.In a meeting with local elders in the town, the area rebel leader Yussuf Isse alias Kaba-kutukade said that his militants will pull out of the town without engaging any fight with the allied forces, saying that they have changed their style of their fight with the allied forces.Meanwhile, reports say the allied forces also took control of Mahaday town after Al-Shabaab militants fled the town.
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