Somali, AU Troops Retake Key Port From Al-Shabaab

Mogadishu – Somali government troops and African Union peacekeepers on Saturday recaptured the key port of Merka from al-Shabaab insurgents, just one day after the Islamists swept into the city, the army and witnesses said.

“The Somali forces and Amisom peacekeepers secured control of Merka again and now the situation has returned to normal,” said a Somali military official, Abdirisak Mohamed.

“There was brief exchange of gunfire, but the (Shebab) militants have fled.”