Telegram from Somalia
Africa ExPress stringer
Mogadishu, 29 June 2015
Reports from Kismayo Today eyewitnesses, contacted by phone, informed me that al Shabaab seized last night at the former military academy, located at 9 km outside the town, after having contacted by phone from Mogadishu.
According to the report, a huge number of Al Shabaab militia attacked last night the camp, the Somali military forces defended it, but after 3 hours of fighting dislodged back to the town, as residents mentioning today. The reports also saying that 3 days ago, most of the newly trained Somali military forces moved to the Buulo Guduud village, located 30 km outside the town, on the main road linking Kismayo to the capital, Mogadishu.
Nobody knows the casualties, although many wounded people have been brought to Kismayo hospital. Also, no word from both fighting sides of Jubbaland administration and Al Shabab until now. The Kismayo Academy is one of the biggest military training center for the Somali military forces since two months, although it was a Jubbaland militia camp before the federal government begun training his soldie therers.
Meanwhile, other reports from today are indicating that last night Somali soldiers and AMISOM forces seized back to Leego village, 130 km south western side of the capital, Mogadishu. According to some residentes “The AMOSM and Somali military forces seized and control the Leego village and its surrounding areas without any confrontation”.
One residen added: “the Al Shabaab militia left and abandoned the camp last night, before the joint forces of AMISOM and Somali Military arrived in Leego village.”
Today, Reports from Lower shabelle region are saying that AMISOM forces evacuated last night and early this morning the two main important camps located at Torotorow village, outside Qoryoley town, and Carbiska camp, located between Mogadishu and Afgoie town, according to residents and local Radio FM Andalus – which supports Al Shabaab. All these evacuated AMISOM forces are heading to Mogadishu, some residents of Torotorow village said.
Today, inside Mogadishu, AMISOM forces evacuated early today one of the biggest military camp at Barakaat St. Mortuary in the north of Mogadishu, residents said. Most of the AMISOM forces of lower shabelle region evacuated at important camps and locations to defend it from Al shabaab fighters.
At the end, AMISOM forces based at Dayniile airstrip, west side of Mogadishu, were evacuated as well, as residents of Dayniile district told me. The evacuated AMISOM forces are already reached at Halane AMISOM military base inside Mogadishu Airport.
Africa ExPress Mogadishu Stringer