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| Somali troops capture key port town from al-Shabab | Somali troops capture key port town from al-Shabab |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Somali government troops backed by African Union forces have captured a key stronghold of al-Shabab Islamists, local officials say. | Somali government troops backed by African Union forces have captured a key stronghold of al-Shabab Islamists, local officials say. |
| The regional governor told the BBC that he was in the centre of Barawe, about 200km (125 miles) south of Mogadishu. | |
| The AU says al-Shabab, who had held the town for six years, used it as a base to launch attacks on the capital. | The AU says al-Shabab, who had held the town for six years, used it as a base to launch attacks on the capital. |
| Residents said many of the al-Qaeda-aligned militants had begun withdrawing from the key port town on Friday. | Residents said many of the al-Qaeda-aligned militants had begun withdrawing from the key port town on Friday. |
| "The situation is calm, the militiamen had fled before the forces reached the town," regional governor Abdukadir Mohamed Nur said. | "The situation is calm, the militiamen had fled before the forces reached the town," regional governor Abdukadir Mohamed Nur said. |
| Al-Shabab has lost control of several towns in the past month, but still controls large swathes of territory in rural areas. | Al-Shabab has lost control of several towns in the past month, but still controls large swathes of territory in rural areas. |
| The BBC's Emmanuel Igunza says the news is a significant blow to al-Shabab because they had used Barawe as a supply route for weapons and food and as a base for a lucrative charcoal business. | |
| The loss of Barawe comes a month after al-Shabab's leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, was killed by a US air strike near the town. US strikes have also targeted other senior militants in and around Barawe. | |
| The group, which is estimated to have at least 5,000 fighters, wants to overthrow the UN-backed Somali government and has imposed a strict version of Sharia in areas under its control. | The group, which is estimated to have at least 5,000 fighters, wants to overthrow the UN-backed Somali government and has imposed a strict version of Sharia in areas under its control. |
| Last week, a woman was stoned to death in Barawe for alleged adultery. | Last week, a woman was stoned to death in Barawe for alleged adultery. |
| Correspondents say al-Shabab tends to tactically withdraw from areas when faced with a large offensive, but leaves some fighters within the civilian population to launch attacks later. | Correspondents say al-Shabab tends to tactically withdraw from areas when faced with a large offensive, but leaves some fighters within the civilian population to launch attacks later. |