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Somali forces seize Al-Shabaab broadcaster

Tuesday February 20 2018
radio

Somali government forces have captured a radio station run by the Al-Shabaab jihadists. PHOTO | AFP

By ABDULKADIR KHALIF

Somali government forces have captured a radio station run by the Al-Shabaab jihadists, an official has said.

Acting Information minister Abdurahman Idaan Yonis Tuesday said the Al-Andalus radio station had fallen into the hands of the government forces.

The Al-Andalus is the main broadcaster used by the al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab in Southern Somalia.

Wave of attacks

“Our heroic forces this week managed to seize the key mouthpiece of the terrorists,” said Mr Yonis, referring to the seizure of the Al-Andalus.

“The captured radio was dismantled and its parts brought to the capital Mogadishu,” the minister added, talking to the Somali National News Agency (Sonna).

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In a recent wave of attacks on the Al-Shabaab positions, the Somali National Army supported by the African Union troops (Amisom), have reached settlements in Lower Shabelle, Mubaarak, Awdegle, Sablaale and Kurtunwarrey.

Mr Yonis praised the Somali forces, saying the loss of the Al-Andalus Radio was a big blow to the Al-Shabaab.

“They (Al-Shabaab) have lost a propaganda machine and a vital instrument employed to mislead the Somali people, especially the youth,” he said.

Latest reports indicated the Somali forces and the Amisom troops, supported by American units, had carried out operations in Lower and Middle Shabelle, Gedo and Hiran.

Intensify airstrikes

American units were said to support the Somali commandos in special operations while US drones sustained airstrikes.

Since October 14, 2017 when a huge car bomb killed nearly 400 civilians in Mogadishu, the Somali government and Amisom troops have initiated more aggressive military campaigns against the jihadists.

President Donald Trump has enhanced the US military's authority to intensify airstrikes in the fight against the Somali insurgents.

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