ELBUR (SMN) – A leading Somali elder said Al-Shabaab started to arm local residents in the central town of Elbur ahead of an imminent military offensive.
In an interview with Radio Shabelle, Mohamed Hassan Haad accused the Al-Qaeda-linked group of putting pressure on the civilians, forcing them to fight.
The elder added that the government of Somalia with the support of the clan fighters is committed to liberating the city from Al-Shabaab in the coming weeks.
Elbur which has been a main bastion for Al-Shabaab over the past 16 years is facing an assault coming from the allied forces, which moved closer to the town.
The elder’s remarks come amid a military movement in the Galgaduud region, where the SNA and allies are in the final preparation of an offensive to retake Galhareri and Elbur.
In conjunction with clan militias, the national army has dislodged the Islamist insurgency Al-Shabaab from swathes of central Somalia, marking a breakthrough in the 16-year war.
As its campaign proceeds, the Mogadishu-based Federal government has been urged to take steps to strengthen its hold on the territory it has retaken.
Starting in August 2022, the Somali government launched a fresh offensive against Al-Shabaab, capitalising on mounting discontent with the Islamist insurgency, particularly among the politically dominant Hawiye clan.
