Moderate Islamists Seize Town From Al Shabaab

Garowe Online (Garowe)

29 April 2011

Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa Islamists and local forces seized Garabaharey town in southern Somalia from Al Shabaab extremists on Thursday, Radio Garowe reports.

Al Shabaab militias withdrew from the district on Wednesday night after Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa, moderate Islamists attacked their bases in Barwaaqo village about 20kms south of Garabaharey district in Gedo region.

Gedo governor Mohamed Abdi Kaliil said local forces and Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa Islamists captured the district from Al Shabaab extremists. “We are appealed to the town civilians to work with us, to defeat the extremists,” he said.

Since February 2011 Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa and local forces seized Buulo-Hawo, Luuq, Garabaharey and Eelwaq districts in southern Somalia from Al Shabaab radical militants after deadly clashes that left more than 100 dead and injured more than 200 mostly civilians, and forced thousands to flee from their houses to seek refuge in neighbouring countries Kenya and Ethiopia.

Ahlu Sunna is a traditional Sufi militia group and Al Shabaab is the Al Qaeda proxy in Somalia.

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