MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali national army forces have launched an operation against al Shabaab in Berhani, an area some 50km west the coastal town of Kismayo.
The troops moved cautiously in the village, after the withdrawal of al Shabaab militants, according a witness, who asked to be anonymous, because of reprisal attack on his life.
He says the militants vacated from Berhani before the arrival the military forces earlier on Saturday.
Somalia’s Jubaland state chief of intelligence Khalid Sheikh says the forces came to the area to drive out of al Shabaab and help communities.
Sheikh says the country’s forces would continue such operations against al Shabaab.
Al Shabaab, an al Qaeda linked group, which wants to topple the weak-western backed government of Somalia.
The group also carried out deadly attacks on AU, Somali army bases, with some of those attacks targeted hotels, popular eateries and other public gatherings in the capital of Mogadishu.
The rebel group has been waging insurgency for more than ten years in Somalia.
