Somalia: Somali and African Union troops retake key port of Merka from al-Shabaab militants
Somali government troops backed by African Union peacekeepers on Saturday, February 6, recaptured the key port of Merka from Shebab insurgents, just one dayafter the Islamists swept into the city, the army and residents said.
“The Somali forces and AMISOM peacekeepers secured control of Merka again and now the situation has returned to normal,” a Somali military official, Abdirisak Mohamed, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) by telephone from Mogadishu.
“There was brief exchange of gunfire, but the (Shebab) militants have fled.”
He said “several” Shebab fighters and one Somali soldier were killed in the clashes, and “the security forces are now conducting clearing operations inside town.”