Hiiraan Online
By Shafi’i Mohyaddin
Monday, April 21, 2014
Heavily armed fighters belonging to the Al-Qaeda-proxy Al-Shabab militants in Somalia have on Monday seized a key military base outside the city of Baidoa southwest of the country.
The militants occupied the 60-th military compound in the Daynuunay village about 20 kilometers from Baidoa along the road that leads to the capital Mogadishu.
Residents said that Al Shabab seized the base after the Somali military withdrew from the area and moved toward the town of Buur Hakaba. Al Shabab said they seized the compound peacefully.
According to some locals who were reached for comment by the media, the militants were advancing to the city of Baidoa which houses to controversial southwestern semiautonomous state.
In another development, eyewitnesses said that hundreds of militants entered Abu Asharow village which is only 5 kilometers from the region’s provincial capital of Baidoa.
Latest reports from the city indicate that regional authorities and AU officials have gathered in an emergency meeting to discuss on what reaction to do to prevent the militants from entering the city.
HOL is following up the situation and will report any developments from the region.
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