Saturday, March 15, 2014

Military Attacks Against Al-Shabaab In Somalia Intensifies

Garowe Online (Garowe)

Somalia: Military Offensive Against Al Shabaab Intensifies

13 MARCH 2014

Beledweyne — Fears of imminent battle between Somali government forces alongside African Union peacekeepers and Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab fighters gripped the residents of Hiraan regional district of Bulo Barde, Garowe Online reports.

According to independent sources in Bulo Barde, the ordinary residents began to flee with their essential elements overnight on Wednesday after heavily armed soldiers in fighting vehicles and battle tanks departed the western part of Beledweyne for the Hiraan region town in central Somalia.

Senior Al Shabaab officials were secretly evacuated as clashes loom over the control of beleagured Bulo Barde where the extremists have been remaining active , witnesses reported.

African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops aided by Somali government soldiers intensified assaults on Al Shabaab bases in Gedo and Bakool regions of southwestern Somalia, dislodging the militants from 5 towns and vast vicinities along the path to the targets.

Bulo Barde, Al Shabaab's biggest stronghold lies about 250km north of Mogadishu.

Federal Government of Somalia dispatched a ministerial delegation to the liberated areas in an effort to survey the situation and discuss the humanitarian and security situation with the traditional and community leaders.

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