Somalia's Govt troops recapture villages from Al-Shabaab

Soldiers march during a military parade held at the defence ministry in Mogadishu. Photo/AFP/Getty Images

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Somali National Army [SNA] has recaptured at least six villages from the Al-Shabaab, in a week the Al-Qaida linked group has terrorized several towns across the country, killing dozens of people in the process.

State media reported that they destroyed several bases of the militants in Lower Shabelle, including secret houses that they use in extorting money from the people and businesses within the Horn of Africa nation.

Although the military never mentioned the participation of foreign troops in the mission, the elite Danab Special Forces have been conducting such operations with little or no help from the African Union Mission Forces [AMISOM] and the US Africa Command.

"Somali National Army destroyed Alshabab bases including so-called court and secret houses where terrorists extort money from people in Bulo-Arundi, Malable, Siigaale, and Busley-Daud in Lower Shabelle regions, on Monday," state media noted.

This comes in the wake of Al-Shabaab attacks across Somalia which have leftover 30 people dead within two weeks. On Monday, two soldiers were killed in Bossaso after an IED targeted a convoy of Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni.

Later, a huge blast went off in Baidoa city of Southwest according to residents' report. The blast happened in one of the main two bridges connecting the city as local sources indicate and no casualties is reported yet.

Dinsoor suffers food and water shortage as Al-Shabaab tightens the blockade on the city. This has resulted in the residents vacating en masse in a bid to escape the devastating situation. Madina Ibrahim, a young mother, succumbs in childbirth while vacating the city.

Al-Shabaab still controls large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia, but joint operations by security forces have significantly dwindled their fortunes. The militants are fighting to topple the fragile UN-backed Somalia government.

GAROWE ONLINE