AU, Somali troops in push for al Shabaab stronghold

The African Union and Somali troops are making a major push this weekend for control of the al Shabaab stronghold of Barawe, a strategic port city that the al Qaeda-linked group has used to launch attacks on the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

Reporting from the outskirts of Barawe, where he is embedded with African Union (AU) troops, FRANCE 24’s Duncan Woodside said the AU troops were pushing toward the strategic city together with the Somali national army.

“We’re hearing sporadic gunfire, but reports suggest that al Shabaab have already left the town,” said Woodside.

As the battle for Barawe neared its final stages, there were conflicting reports from the frontline, with Somali officials telling reporters the army had taken “full control” of the port city.

Reporting from around two kilometers away from city, Woodside said AU and Somali troops were prepared for an al Shabaab resistance for control of their last urban stronghold.

“It was the nerve centre for al Shabaab for its operations,” said Woodside, referring to Barawe. “It’s the last remaining urban asset that al Shabaab held. So, without that, they are going to struggle to coordinate their activities. They’re going to be pushed into the bush and other areas where they will be unable to get such good sea access as well as tax revenues,” explained Woodside.

The al Qaeda-linked Somali jihadist group controlled most of the southern region of Somalia from the mid-2000s until 2011, when the group lost control of Mogadishu. A year later, the major port city of Kismayo fell to AU and Somali troops. But al Shabaab has been able to launch deadly attacks in the Somali capital despite losing control of the city.