Al-Shabab militants capture another town in Somalia
Takfiri al-Shabab militants have overrun another town in central Somalia following the departure of the forces of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) from the area.
“We have taken Buqda town peacefully today. The town is now under our control,” Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, a spokesman for the militant group, said on Sunday.
AMISOM forces, who had seized the control of Buqda from the militants less than a month ago, left the town on Saturday night. Ahmed Nur, a top Somali army official, said military forces had left the town to counter al-Shabab elsewhere, adding that they will return.
This is the third town that falls into the hands of the Takfiris since Friday.
The militants captured the towns of El Saliindi, 65 km (40 miles) south of the capital, Mogadishu, and Kuntuwarey, on the road between the capital and the port of Barawe, both in the Lower Shabelle region, over the past three days.
The militant group, which is seeking to topple the Somali government, carries out regular attacks on government officials and the AMISOM peacekeeping force in the country.
On Saturday, al-Shabab terrorists launched a raid on an AMISOM convoy outside the Somali town of Marka, with a local official saying that the death toll had not been determined.
Somalia has been the scene of deadly clashes between military forces and al-Shabab militants since 2006.
In 2011, the militants were pushed out of Mogadishu and other major cities in Somalia by government forces and the AMISOM, which is mainly made up of troops from Uganda, Ethiopia, Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya and Sierra Leone.
Terrorism in Africa increased 100,000% during US 'war on terror': Study
Death toll in Somalia twin car bombings claimed by Al-Shabaab rises to 35
EU aid for Ukraine
French march for women of Palestine
Erdogan: Upholding ICC arrest warrants will restore trust in intl. system
Iran activated new centrifuges in response to IAEA resolution: Parl. speaker
Nov. 23: ‘Axis of Resistance’ operations against Israeli occupation
Lindsey Graham threatens to sanction US allies backing ICC arrest warrants
VIDEO | Tens of thousands of Catalans protest to demand access to better housing
Israel launches air strikes on Syria-Lebanon border crossing
Russia: Comprehensive deal with Iran will include defense, security ties
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
