Hiiraan Online
Sunday, September 27, 2015
MOGADISHU (HOL) ---The African Union forces in Somalia have pushed fighters from the Al-Qaeda linked AL-Shabab group from the environs of a central Somali town, ending months of blockade that prevented the town from getting necessities and aid.
Bulo-burte, a town in Hiiraan region has experienced daily attacks by insurgents who also carried out suicide attacks against the African Union and Somali troops, and imposed a blockade which left desperate poor residents hopeless for nearly a year.
Col. Abdirahman Abdi Dhimbil, a senior African Union commander told Voice of America’s Somali Service that the blockade was lifted after troops pushed deeper into militants’ strongholds in the region.
Local officials say that the town is expecting the first commercial flight this week, with many residents who fled as result of blockade are willing to return.
“The town is no longer on blockade, now the nearest frontline is the toll road between Buro-Burte and Jowhar.” Mr. Dhimbil said in an interview.
Al-Shabab aims to maintain its grip on the rural areas in Hiran region after abandoning most of their key strongholds without putting resistance against troops who launched a multi-pronged offensive in Somalia.
The development means Al-Shabab fighters has an effective control over strings of villages between Beledweyne and Buloburte, a corridor that could give the group a larger area to launch attacks to disrupt the ongoing offensive against it and consolidate their power bases in south and central Somalia.