Al-Shabab pulls out of southwestern Somalia town

The new development emerged after two-hours clashes occurred on late Wednesday between the TFG forces in alliance with Ethiopian army at Yeet area close to the town of Hudur, while the government claims a military victory over it.

Residents poured into the streets of Hudur town as truckloads of heavily armed Al-Shabaab fighters left the city late last night under the cover of darkness. The rebels have controlled the city for 3 years, but it has suffered losses to key players in recent weeks by TFG and its allied Ethiopian forces, the report said.

“This is golden opportunity for Somalis to see for the first time in 3-years that their government is under full control of Hudur town,” Mohammed Ibrahim Habsade, a lawmaker said, “We already have taken over the control of Baidoa town, the provincial capital of Bay region.”

Some Somali analysts have suggested the Islamist insurgents withdrew from mant town in the country because funding from the Arab world had dwindled and they had become militarily weaker.

Keydmedia.net - Mogadishu, Somalia