Somalia: Govt troops retake strategic town from Al-Shabaab

HARARDHERE, Somalia - On Monday, the Somali army along with pro-government clan militia entered a key coastal town in Galmudug State after Al-Shabaab militants withdrew without firing a single gunshot.

The country's defense minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur has confirmed the capture of Harardhere city within the Mudug region, which has been under the control of the Al-Qaeda-linked group for many years.

Harardhere on the Indian coast once served as a pirate hub during the peak of piracy in Somalia's waters from 2008 to 2011. The fall of the town marks a big victory for the Somali government which launched an all-out offensive last year to end the Al-Shabaab insurgency.

Before the seizure of Harardhere, the specially trained Danab forces of the Somali military captured the village of Galcad in the east of the Galgaduud region, where Al-Shabaab was in control for a long time.

Somali PM Hamza Abdi Barre has welcomed the takeover of Harardhere and praised the troops for liberating the country from the Al-Shabaab, the main threat to national security.

Al-Shabaab lost major towns and dozens of villages in Galgadud, Hiran, and Middle Shabelle regions to SNA and allied clan militias in the past four months.

In his new year's speech, Somali president Hassan Sheikh said 2023 will be a re-liberation period, vowing to end Al-Shabaab's presence in the country, reform the army, and economy, and finalize the debt relief and constitution.

GAROWE ONLINE