Defeating Al-Shabaab: Implications of Somali army’s control of El Buur

Ahmed Adel

The commander of the Somali army has expressed the importance of recovering the area of El Buur, considered one of the main strongholds of the Al-Shabaab movement in Somalia, which makes it important for the Somali army forces, as it will completely stop the misery caused by the terrorists to the country.

The Ministry of Defense announced that the army, in cooperation with the popular resistance, took complete control of El Buur in the Galgadud, central Somalia, which is the main base for the terrorist movement linked to al-Qaeda.

The Somali News Agency (SONA) reported that the army forces are currently working in continuous combing operations inside the city, which was controlled by Al-Shabaab, and the forces are currently working to stabilize security and pursue terrorist elements.

While announcing the news to the Somalis, Army Commander Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyiddin said in a live broadcast on Facebook, “Victory is for the Somalis. The El Buur area, the main stronghold of Al-Shabaab, has fallen into the hands of Somali forces, and the forces are now inside the town,” adding that control over El Buur will completely end the misery caused by Al-Shabaab, and peace and prosperity will prevail.

Abdul Malik, one of the government leaders who led the operation to seize El Buur, confirmed that the area is calm, the army is clearing it, and they are ready to defend themselves, adding that a reliable force is capable of defeating any force that attacks them, and reports of them being surrounded are fake.

Al-Shabaab has been waging bloody attacks from El Buur throughout the region for 16 years, according to Reuters.

Controlling the stronghold located in El Buur is one of the biggest victories in the offensive launched by the government and allied forces a year ago against the terrorist movement, which is linked to al-Qaeda.