Puntland forces launch assault on Al-Shabab seized Af-Urur locality
Puntland state authorities despatched heavily armed forces to set on Al-Shabaab fighters in Af-Urur town 100 km (60 miles) south of Bosaso city.
Al-Shabab has seized the town last Friday after Puntland forces vacated their military bases in Af-Urur town.
According to reports from Bossaso and Garowe towns, hundreds of military soldiers are moving to liberate the town from Al-Shabaab fighters.
Mohamed Osman, a local resident in Bossaso town told the media that they had seen military tanks and vehicles moving towards Af-Urur town.
“We saw heavily armed Puntland soldiers moving out of the town. We heard soldiers were going to liberate Af-Urur town,” Osman said.
Despite the residents, Puntland military commanders and the state’s leaders declined to comment on the new offensives against Al-Shabaab.
Al-Shabaab last week its fighters seized the strategic village from forces of Puntland.
“Puntland forces ran away as we advanced to the town because they know we had taught them tough lessons before,”Abu Musab, “We now peacefully control Af Urur town.”
According to the locals, Al-Shabaab fighters wrested the control of the village without resistance.
“When we woke up this morning, we saw many al Shabaab fighters controlling the town. The (Puntland military) forces had left,” Ahmed Nur told Reuters from Af Urur by phone.
Al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate has been fighting Somali military backed by troops of African Union Peacekeeping Mission (AMISOM) since 2007.
Fighters loyal to the group had attacked some of AMISOM troop-contributing countries in the region.
The group killed hundreds of people in deadly that took place Garissa, Nairobi, Mandera town of Kenya and the capital city of Uganda Kampala
