Somali National Army (SNA), along with Africa Union forces have taken full control of Janaale town from Al shabaab militants following days of clashes and mortar shelling.
Confirming the take-over, Janaale administrator Abdirahman Yusuf Abdinur said the allied troops are now in full control of the area, seizing police station and district admin HQ.
“We can confirm that Janaale town is liberated from Al shabaab and fell to Somali forces and their allied African Union soldiers (AMISOM),” said Abdinur while speaking to Radio Shabelle.
Local residents expressed fears of Al-shabaab take-over as the fighters could embark on a witch-hunt that could endanger their lives.
Al shabaab has controlled Janaale, a key town in Lower Shabelle region of southern Somalia since AMISOM base attack that left scores of Ugandan peacekeepers dead in last September, 2015.
