EL-DHER, Somalia – The government forces have taken control of El-Dher district and the surrounding areas in central Somalia after the Al-Shabaab fighters made a surprise exit.
The Turkish-trained elite Gorgor forces have cleared Al-Shabaab from all areas in the east of the Galgaduud region before the final push to capture the El-Dhere district.
The troops have started searching for landmines on the roads that the town connects to other areas in the region in an attempt to avert IED attacks on the moving soldiers.
At the beginning of the year 2023, the government forces captured the district, but Al-Shabaab took it back when the SNA and local clan militia withdrew for a tactical war.
In the past few days, the SNA forces with the help of locals have taken over important areas in the Mudug and Galgaduud regions under the Galmudug state from Al-Shabaab.
The government has reported killing dozens of militants and seizing dozens of localities in neighboring Hirshabelle state since the military operations were launched in August.
The successes have led some officials to claim al-Shabab is on its last legs. However, experts have cautioned that the group has been pushed out of major towns before only to regroup and reclaim areas the army does not have the capacity to hold.
