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African Union troops in Somalia 'enter Kismayo' Somali and African Union troops 'enter Kismayo'
(35 minutes later)
The first African Union troops have entered the strategic Somali port of Kismayo, witnesses have told the BBC. The first Somali government and African Union troops are reported to have entered the strategic Somali port of Kismayo, witnesses have told the BBC.
They have been battling fighters from the al-Shabab militia for control of the city for months. They have been battling the al-Shabab militia for control of the city.
On Saturday, the Islamist militants said they had withdrawn from Kismayo following an AU military assault. On Saturday, the al-Qaeda aligned militants said they had withdrawn from Kismayo after an AU military assault.
Kenyan and Somali forces had launched an attack on al-Shabab's last major bastion the day before, encountering fierce resistance. Kenyan and Somali forces had launched an attack on the Islamist group's last major bastion the day before.
Reports as to the size and make up of the AU contingent have been mixed.
One resident told the BBC Somali Service that a small infantry unit of 11 Somali soldiers had entered the city from the west and were patrolling on foot on the main roads of Kismayo, while another said he had seen both Kenyan and Somali troops entering the city centre from the airport.
A spokesperson for the Somali government forces, Mohamud Farah, told the Reuters news agency that they had sent "450 [troops] to patrol the town and settle the police headquarters".
Islamist blow
Kenyan troops are part of an African force trying to wrest control of Somalia from militants for the new United Nations-backed president.
After resisting the AU and Somali advance on Friday, al-Shabab announced it had shut its five-year administration in Kismayo the next day for strategic reasons.
A spokesperson for the Kenyan military told the BBC last week that he feared the withdrawal might be a trap, making the army reticent to enter Kismayo. There have been unconfirmed reports that al-Shabab may have mined parts of the town.
Correspondents say the loss of Kismayo will be a major blow to the Islamists.
Somalia's second largest port is a significant source of revenue for whoever controls it and al-Shabab had also used the port to bring in weapons.
African Union troops pushed al-Shabab from the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011.
Along with other pro-government forces they have gone on to take control of most of the major towns previously in militants hands.
But the al-Qaeda-linked group's fighters are still highly active in much of the countryside in southern and central Somalia and have carried out attacks in cities they no longer control.
Since the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991, Somalia has seen clan-based warlords, Islamist militants and its neighbours all battling for control.