Blow as Al Shabaab militants takes over a town in Puntland state

Al Shabaab has taken control of Af Urur town  in the semi-autonomous Puntland region. (Courtesy)

SOMALIA—Al Shabaab has captured a small town at Bosaso city in the semi-autonomous Puntland region.

Report from a Puntland military officer, Mohamed Abdi, on Friday confirmed that Al Shabaab had taken control of Af Urur town by Friday morning, noting that only a few Puntland military forces had been in the town on Thursday evening.

“We were supposed to be replaced by other forces. We shall recapture the town from Al Shabaab,” Abdi said.

Af Urur is strategically located 100km south of Bosaso city.

Al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musa confirmed that they had taken control over the town.

“Puntland forces ran away as we advanced to the town because they know we had taught them tough lessons before,” said Musa.

“We now peacefully control Af Urur town,” he added.

Residents in Af Urur told the local media that they had seen many Al Shabaab militia men who had taken over the town.

“We woke up to Al Shabaab fighters taking control over the town. This after the Puntland military left on Thursday,” a resident in the town said.

Af Urur’ position is important because the main road that links the cities of Garowe, Bosaso and Mogadishu passes nearby.

On 8 June 2017, militants attacked and overran the military base at Af Urur in Puntland, killing many soldiers of the Puntland Security Force.

It was the deadliest terrorist attack of any militant group in Puntland since the Somalia’s autonomous state was founded in 1998.

Puntland is a region in northeastern Somalia and is bordered by Somaliland to its west.