Somali govt and AMISOM troops seize strategic towns in Central Somalia

Hiiraan Online
By Shafi’i Mohyaddin
Thursday, March 13, 2014

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Somali government forces backed by African Union peacekeepers have peacefully taken the control of more lands in Central Somalia including the towns of Bula Barde, Buq-Aqable and Raan-Gaabo village in the Hiiraan region.

Al Shabab militants fled the town of Buq-Aqable several hours before the allied Somali forces and the Djiboutian contingent of the African Union forces entered the city a little while before midday.

The coalition forces moved from the Hiiraan region’s provincial capital of Beledweyn early on Thursday morning heading towards east and west of the city as part of a major offensive against Al Shabab militants who are still in control of more lands in south-central Somalia despite recent major losses.

Somali military commander in the region Colonel Mohamed Amin told the media that his forces backed by the Djiboutian contingent of AMISOM captured the Buq-Aqable town peaceful after Al Shabab fled the area in the early hours of the day.

“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 Bulo Barde” the commander told the media in Buq-Aqable, before the forces seised the tsrtategic town of Bulo-Barde later on the day.

Buulo Barde fell into the hands of Somali government forces and AU troops after both sides engaged in fierce fighting that lasted about less than an hour, according to residents in the town.

The state-run media broadcasted that the AU and Somali forces have set up bases in the town.

The governor of Hiiraan region Abdi Farah Laqanyo and other key regional officials are travelling with the Somali military to show moral support for them.

The offensive in central Somalia comes as Al Shabab militants have been defeated in more than 5 battle grounds south west of the country where AMISOM and Somali forces had reclaimed some strategic towns in the regions of Bay, Bakool and Gedo.

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