Somalia: Government Forces Approching Bardhere for 8 Years Shabab Stronghold

Telegram from Somalia
Africa ExPress stringer
Mogadishu, 16 July 2015

“It is the first time that Alshabaab release prisoners they kept, and is a new phenomenon from the organization which formerly adopted terrorizing the community,” said Baidoa an elder resident.

“The released prisoners were keeping in a secret location ” added the elder. A week ago, the organization released two Kenyan soldiers after they converted to Islam, as officers of al Shabaab said during the release of the Kenyan soldiers last week, although Kenyan government said they released the soldiers by force from al Shabaab.

Some other reports from Gedo region in south west of Somalia are saying that a huge AMISOM and Somali government military are approaching Bardhere, the strategic town in south west Somalia controlled by al Shabaab since 8 years, as residents and Jubbaland interim administraion said today.

“Our AMISOM and Somali government forces are nearing the area and stationed now 40 km outside the town,” said colonel Abbas Mohamed, a Somali military officer. “We are attacking the town from 3 different directions with well joint armed forces, and finalize soon,” added the colonel. Some reports inside the town are saying there are many movements in the town by al Shabaab militia today.

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Al Shabaab militia released a statement saying that they attack an AMISOM convoy moving between Dhamase and Eladde villages between Elwak and Bardhera towns, border areas between Kenya and Somalia, no word from AMISOM forces until now about the claiming of al Shabaab.

Also, yesterday, reports from south west of Somalis is indicating that al Shabaab militia attacked a convoy of AMISOM and Somali military forces moving on the road between Rabdhurre and Wajid districts of Bakool region, located near the border between Somalia and Ethiopia some 380 km south west from the capital, Mogadishu, residents and military sources said.

The fighting begun by explosives burnt and following the face to face direct confrontation between the AMISOM and Somali government forces and al Shabaab, using heavy army weapons, as residents said after having contacted by phone. Some initial reports saying that more than 10 al Shabaab militia were killed while the AMISOM and Somali military forces side have some casualties, although colonel Mire Abdi, the Somali military officer confirmed that during the fighting al Shabaab were killed more than 10 militia, when they try to block the AMISOM and Somali military forces.

The fighting was going on some hours and later on, the military convoy passes road block to continue the journey, as residents also said.  The residents mentioned this fighting was one of the strongest between the islamic rebels and AMISOM during Ramadan month. Al Shabaab accelerating its operations during Ramadan month and carried out more than 10 attacks during this months.

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Drone plane hits in a vehicle at the jungle area of Bardhere town early this morning, as reports from the town are saying today.  The drone flights killed two of the members of al Shabaab militia maned Ismeel Jabhad and Ismaeel Dheere, as some sources from al Shabaab said.

Africa ExPress Mogadishu Stringer