A map showing the Somalia flag and states. TEA GRAPHIC | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Militants
loyal to the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab have reportedly fled to the
central region following the US airstrikes on their bases in southern
Somalia.
The commander of Somali National Army (SNA) in
Hiran region, Gen Mohamed Ahmed Tredishe, stated that they had received
reports of the Al-Shabaab militants vacating parts of Hiran.
“Villagers
and pastoralists have been reporting that militants who appeared to
have abandoned their bases in southern Somalia have reached some areas
in the central region,” said Gen Tredishe at a press conference in
Beledweyne town, the capital of Hiran region.
Beledweyne town lies some 335km north of Mogadishu.
Further north
There
were reports that the jihadists also wanted to move further north to
Galgaduud and Mudug and even to the northeastern regions in the
semi-autonomous Puntland State.
“We will not allow
Al-Shabaab militants to hide in the mountainous area of the central
regions or move on to the eastern regions,” stated Gen Tredishe.
The
fleeing militants are said to have come from the Al-Shabaab bases in
Lower Juba, Gedo and Lower Shabelle, the scenes of recent bombardment by
US drones supporting the government of Somalia and the African Union
forces (Amisom).
Last week, a US defence official was
quoted by CNN, saying the strike on an Al-Shabaab training camp was
carried out by a manned aircraft, killing 100 militants.
The fight
The strike reportedly occurred 125km northwest of Mogadishu.
Since
October 14 when a huge car bomb killed nearly 400 civilians in
Mogadishu, the Somali government and Amisom troops have initiated more
aggressive military campaigns against the jihadists.
In
March, President Donald Trump enhanced the US military's authority to
intensify airstrikes in the fight against the Somali insurgents.
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