Al Shabaab militants captured the town of Tardo in Somalia’s central Hiiraan region on Sunday, dislodging government-allied Macwiisleey clan fighters and displacing thousands, a senior army officer and local officials said.
Major Mohamed Abdullahi of the Somali National Army called Tardo “a strategic junction linking several bigger towns” and warned that the insurgents “are advancing to other areas” after their victory. Government troops and clan militias are rallying for a counter-offensive, with about 100 soldiers rushed in as reinforcements, he added.
Regional lawmaker Dahir Amin said at least 12,500 families have fled Tardo and nearby Moqokori, which Al Shabaab claimed last week. Local elder Ali Hussein and clan fighter Ahmed Moallim confirmed the capture, noting the crossroads could ease a push toward larger population centres.
Al Shabaab, aligned with al-Qaeda, has fought since 2007 to topple Somalia’s internationally backed government and impose its austere version of sharia. Although Somali forces retook villages within 50 km of Mogadishu earlier this year, the latest gains underscore the group’s ability to mount large-scale manoeuvres despite sustained aerial strikes and ground offensives.