Kismayo (RBC) Reports from Kismayo, the regional capital of Somalia’s Lower Jubba region say that Al-Shabab rebels have abandoned the town last night through different directions after the Kenyan forces [KDF] and Somalia military approached the town on Friday.
A resident in Kismayo told RBC that Al-Shabaab have fled to different directions from Kismaayo late on Sunday as residents saw empty centers of Al-Shabaab which suddenly brought the long-awaited fall of the town.
As Al-Shabaab militias fled from Kismayo, armed men begun looting the businness centres in the town including shops, food stores and even houses. A woman who spoke to RBC Radio in anonymity condition said that she saw men and women looting chairs and tables from the offices of the Al-Shabab’s district commissioner and the regional headquarter office in Buulo Abliko village.
“The security in Kismayo is so fragile we see armed militias going round here and there. they are opening fire looting every place. We are very worried of security. the Kenyan forces and the Somalia government forces did not come inside of the town yet..” Ahmed Mohamed, a businessman in Kismayo told RBC Radio from the phone.
Meanwhile for the past 24 hours at least five civilians were killed in the town by armed militia men as a wave of inter clan rivalry attacks are expected to be on the rise.
On the other hand, the pro-Islamist radio of Andulus was off air today and all the equipments of the radio was taken by the group, eyewitnesses told RBC Radio this morning.
This comes after an offensive and assault over the city on Friday by the Kenyan Forces under the African Union forces and Somali National Army which had been battling with Al-shabab to take over the rebel’s main stronghold, the key coastal city of Kismayo for months.
Kismayo is the third largest city of Somalia and has been the last bastion for Al-Shabab, the only city seen as economically and militarily strategic place for the group for long time.
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I salute these brave soldiers.
