Sunday, November 25, 2012
Somali government forces and African Union (AU) troops have taken control of key areas in southern part of the war-torn country, after they launched operations against al-Shabab militants, Press TV reports.
On Saturday, Somali military commander, Major General Abdullahi Ali Anod told Press TV that key areas near Afgoye town, located in the Shabeellaha Hoose region, 27 kilometers (16 miles) northwest of the capital Mogadishu were seized during planned operations.
He also added that Somali government forces are awaiting orders to enter Jowhar town of lower Shabelle, 90 kilometers north of the capital, which is the last stronghold of al-Shabab militants in south Somalia.
On November 9, clashes between Somali government troopers and al-Shabab fighters in the town of Lego in the Lower Shabelle region also killed at least 18 soldiers and 21 fighters.
In December 2006, al-Shabab began fighting to topple the various configurations of the country’s former Transitional Federal Government (TFG).
In the process, al-Shabab fought the Ethiopian forces that had invaded Somalia on a so-called mission to prop up the TFG besides turning their weapons on the African Union Mission in Somalia and TFG troops.
Somalia did not have an effective central government from 1991, when warlords overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. On August 20, the Federal Government of Somalia took over from the TFG.