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| Kenyan and Somali forces capture town from al-Shabaab | Kenyan and Somali forces capture town from al-Shabaab |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Kenyan and Somali government forces have captured a key town in Somalia, 75 miles from the headquarters of Islamist militants linked to al-Qaida. | Kenyan and Somali government forces have captured a key town in Somalia, 75 miles from the headquarters of Islamist militants linked to al-Qaida. |
| Commanders said the al-Shabaab group surrendered the town of Afmadow without a fight as their troops closed in. | Commanders said the al-Shabaab group surrendered the town of Afmadow without a fight as their troops closed in. |
| Mohamud Farah, a spokesman for Somali government forces in the Juba region, told Reuters: "There were no casualties. Al-Shabaab fled and no fighting took place. We are going to consolidate security for now." | Mohamud Farah, a spokesman for Somali government forces in the Juba region, told Reuters: "There were no casualties. Al-Shabaab fled and no fighting took place. We are going to consolidate security for now." |
| Al-Shabaab acknowledged that it had been forced to retreat. Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, a spokesman for its military operation, admitted to Reuters: "The Kenyan and Somali troops have now entered Afmadow. No fighting took place inside the town. | Al-Shabaab acknowledged that it had been forced to retreat. Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, a spokesman for its military operation, admitted to Reuters: "The Kenyan and Somali troops have now entered Afmadow. No fighting took place inside the town. |
| "First we fought fiercely outside the town and then our fighters left the town as part of our tactics. However, we shall not stop fighting." | "First we fought fiercely outside the town and then our fighters left the town as part of our tactics. However, we shall not stop fighting." |
| The Kenyan incursion is part of a three-pronged offensive against al-Shabaab, which is also battling Ethiopian troops in central Somalia and an African Union (AU) force near the capital, Mogadishu. | The Kenyan incursion is part of a three-pronged offensive against al-Shabaab, which is also battling Ethiopian troops in central Somalia and an African Union (AU) force near the capital, Mogadishu. |
| Afmadow has been a target for the Kenyan troops, who make up the AU contingent in the south of the country, since they entered Somalia last October. Their primary goal is the southern port city of Kismayu, the hub of al-Shabaab operations, about 75 miles away. | Afmadow has been a target for the Kenyan troops, who make up the AU contingent in the south of the country, since they entered Somalia last October. Their primary goal is the southern port city of Kismayu, the hub of al-Shabaab operations, about 75 miles away. |
| Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, the interim prime minister of Somalia, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme: "Hopefully the next target will be Kismayo and then we will proceed to other towns and cities. Surely but slowly we're getting our country back from al-Shabaab." | Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, the interim prime minister of Somalia, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme: "Hopefully the next target will be Kismayo and then we will proceed to other towns and cities. Surely but slowly we're getting our country back from al-Shabaab." |
| A spokesman for the Kenyan army, Colonel Cyrus Oguna, told the BBC he hoped the AU force would be able to take the port of Kismayo, on the main road south of Afmadow, before 20 August. That is the deadline for a transition process that calls for a new constitution and parliament, and the election of a president. | A spokesman for the Kenyan army, Colonel Cyrus Oguna, told the BBC he hoped the AU force would be able to take the port of Kismayo, on the main road south of Afmadow, before 20 August. That is the deadline for a transition process that calls for a new constitution and parliament, and the election of a president. |
| On Friday, Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, told a conference in Istanbul that international forces cannot solve Somalia's problems in the long term and the fragile country needs its own strong force to do the job. | On Friday, Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, told a conference in Istanbul that international forces cannot solve Somalia's problems in the long term and the fragile country needs its own strong force to do the job. |
| While significant gains have been made, Ban said the international community must help Somalia build its own security apparatus, establish the rule of law and shed a pervasive culture of impunity. | While significant gains have been made, Ban said the international community must help Somalia build its own security apparatus, establish the rule of law and shed a pervasive culture of impunity. |
| "In the face of terrorism, piracy and drought, Somalia needs solidarity," Ban said. "Partners have to step up and do their part." | "In the face of terrorism, piracy and drought, Somalia needs solidarity," Ban said. "Partners have to step up and do their part." |
| World leaders and Somali politicians have gathered in Istanbul for the second major international conference this year on how to end Somalia's two decades of confllict. The first was in London. | World leaders and Somali politicians have gathered in Istanbul for the second major international conference this year on how to end Somalia's two decades of confllict. The first was in London. |
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