Somali troops rescue civilians from Al-Shabaab prison

[Deeq A.]

MOGADISHU (Caasimada Online) — Somali army forces launched an offensive against Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group in south of Somalia.

The military offensive was conducted in small areas between Afgoye and Bal’ad towns, some 30km south of Somali capital Mogadishu.

Somali military claimed to have rescued unarmed civilians from detention center runs by Al Shabaab, according to SONNA News Agency.

Agency reported that the military forces had taken weapons from the group’s fighters.

There was no comment from Al Shabaab over the claims.

The al Shabaab militia, linked to al Qaeda, is fighting to topple the U.N.-backed Somali government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islam’s sharia law.

Somalia has been plagued by conflict since the early 1990s, when clan-based warlords overthrew authoritarian ruler Mohamed Siad Barre then turned on each other.

Caasimada Online

Mogadishu News Desk

Caasimada@live.com