Somali government forces with the African Union troops captured on Monday the key town of Janale in Southern Somalia from the extremist group al-Shabab after several days of clashes, residents and Officials confirmed.
Al Shabaab militant seized Janale, which is about 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Mogadishu in September 2015 after Uganda’s African Union troops vacated following a deadly attack on their base.
‘’Janale is now under the control of the government and the town is calm,’’ said a resident who spoke in the condition of anonymity.
AMISOM and Somali army officials claimed to have killed over 20 militants during clashes between both sides.
The al-Qaeda-linked militant group launched deadly attack on a base run by the Uganda’s AMISOM peacekeepers last year, killing at least 50 Ugandan soldiers.
Al-Shabab lost key strongholds in between 2012 and 2013 to the AU troops and Somali national army, but the group has since carried out deadly attacks in the Somali capital.
