Al Shabaab seizes control of a central Somali town and continues its advance

Al Shabaab militants have taken control of the town of Tardo in the central Hiiran region of Somalia and are continuing their march, which has already resulted in the displacement of thousands of people, according to a military officer.

Tardo, a crucial intersection connecting major cities, collapsed on Sunday after al Shabaab forces affiliated with al Qaeda pushed out clan members aligned with the government, Major Mohamed Abdullahi told Reuters.

Al Shabaab has been fighting an insurgency in Somalia since 2007 in an effort to overthrow the central government, which is supported by the international community, and impose its own government according to its rigid interpretation of sharia law.

“The group is advancing to other areas after the fall of Tardo,” stated Abdullahi. The local clan fighters, known as Macwiisleey, and Somali forces are preparing for a counterattack, he continued.

A regional congressman, a local elder, and a clan fighter all attested to Tardo’s seizure, which, given its location, would facilitate al Shabaab’s expansion to larger towns.

The region has seen an increase in Al Shabaab’s onslaught since the beginning of the year. Previous gains came within 50 kilometers (30 miles) of Mogadishu, the country’s capital, but those villages were retaken by Somali forces.

“We are discussing with Hiraan people about plans to recapture the towns from al Shabaab,” Abdullahi claimed. According to him, about 100 soldiers had been sent in to support the local combatants.

Reuters reported that at least 12,500 households have left Tardo and the neighboring town of Muqokori, which al Shabaab claimed to have taken last week, according to regional politician Dahir Amin.