The Somali and AMISOM troops capture of Barawe town, al-Shabaab extremists’ last major stronghold marks the beginning of the end for the insurgents, Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed has said.
Addressing Journalists in Mogadishu, he hailed the victory achieved by the allied forces who secured the town on Sunday after the militants had abandoned.
‘’ Barawe was the biggest base of al-Shabaab, the operations will continue until they are eliminated from the whole country,’’ he said.
Mr Abdiweli warned neighbouring countries, such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti over the influx of the insurgents who have lost almost all the territories they controlled.
Reports from the port town on Monday, which is some 180 kilometres from the capital say that there were clashes between the allied forces and gunmen believed to be part of the radical Islamist group.
‘’ We were hearing heavy weapons for several hours, the people are in a state of fear,’’ said one of the residents.
There were no immediate casualty figures available or reported, though security officials said there had been no deaths on the side of government forces and African Union troops.
Elsewhere, al-Shabaab officials have said that they will fight against the allied forces and won’t surrender even if they lose all the remaining towns that they still control.
The al-Qaeda-linked militant group used the town to launch attacks and also bring weapons and fighters.
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