MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s army and Galmudug regional forces bolstered by US air support have seized control of the town of Amara in Mudug region after fighters of the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab had withdrawn, a spokesman for the federal government said on Sunday.
It is the second town to have fallen to the army within the last 24 hours, after allied forces regained control of Ba’adwayne without fighting on Saturday. Both towns have changed hands several times between troops and militants over the past years, and it is unclear if allied federal and regional forces will be able to tighten grip on the recently captured areas.
Al-Qaeda-linked group Al-Shabaab has not immediately commented on its fighters withdrawal from the town of Amara, but the group’s media reported on Sunday that clashes broke out on the road linking Ba’adwayne and Amara, in the course of which militants killed a number soldiers and destroyed a military vehicle.
A spokesman for Somalia’s government Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimu said allied Galmudug paramilitary forces and the army were back in control of the town of Amara and soldiers continued advancing towards other areas held by the Islamist fighters.
There has been no independent confirmation of both sides claims and Somaliguardian has not been able to verify assertions made by the two sides.
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