Al-Shabaab militants have retaken a key coastal stronghold in Somalia, underlining the resilience of the extremist group.
Fighters retook the port of Merka on Friday from African Union troops who had held the town since 2012. The loss of Merka, 60 miles south of the capital, Mogadishu, is one of the most significant reverses for the multinational AU force in its nearly decade-long battle against al-Shabaab.
The AU had captured the historic port in August 2012 as it pushed the militants out of a series of towns in Somalia. There was no immediate explanation for why Merka appears to have been given up.
“The AU troops pulled out of the town and al-Shabaab militants entered and have secured control without fighting,” said Ibrahim Adam, governor of the Lower Shabelle region.
Control of Merka gives al-Shabaab access to a port again. This will provide a financial boost to the organisation, allowing both taxation of local commerce and facilitating a wide range of lucrative smuggling activities.
“It’s symbolically important because it was one of the major towns retaken from al-Shabaab and underlines the resilience and longevity of the group,” said Ahmed Soliman, a regional analyst at Chatham House in London.
There was no immediate response from the AU force, known by its acronym Amisom, or government officials.
The seizure of Merka, as well as a series of high-profile al-Shabaab attacks on AU bases, indicates a new offensive spirit and capacity. The insurgents have lost ground in their campaign to overthrow the internationally backed government in Mogadishu since withdrawing from the city in 2011.
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