Somali government forces capture al- Shabab stronghold in Marka town

Somali soldiers standing guard during a visit by Somalia's President to Balad town, Middle Shabelle region, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of Mogadishu. (file photo)

Mon Aug 27, 2012 2:31PM

After we have seized El-Waregow and Kali-Afimad villages early morning, our troops finally pushed out al-Shabab fighters from Marka and captured all the rebel-held bases in the town”
Abdikadir Mohamed Noor, a high ranking Somali military official.

Thousands of al-Shabab fighters have been forced to retreat from strategic Marka port town in Somalia after African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces and Somali government troops attacked their bases,Press TV reports.

Somali’s government officials also confirmed that army was fully controlling Marka port town.

“After we have seized El-Waregow and Kali-Afimad villages early morning, our troops finally pushed out al-Shabab fighters from Marka and captured all the rebel-held bases in the town” said Abdikadir Mohamed Noor, a high ranking Somali military official.

Marka town, a port city on the coast of southern Somalia, facing the Indian Ocean, has been a stronghold of al-Shabab for a long time.

Somalia has not had an effective central government since 1991, when warlords overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

The weak Western-backed transitional government in Mogadishu has been battling al-Shabab for the past five years and is propped up by a strong African Union force from Uganda, Burundi, and Djibouti.

AMF/AMB/MAM/JR