...... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...krazed killers, following the latest strategic advances made towards Elbur town, with the capturing of Dac village which is 18 KMs southwest of the country, giving a clear indication perhaps of impending victory.
Already, the Somali soldiers have captured Oswein, Wabxo, War Xoolo, Dac, and several other smaller villages, which are deemed strategic in the al-Shabaab war. On Saturday, heavy festivities erupted in Oswein village, but the government forces have since repulsed the dawn attack.
Last week on Wednesday, the elite Danab Special Forces clashed with al-Shabaab murderous Moslems near Gobagaal, west of Wabxo as they pushed forward towards Dac which is a village but had strategic importance to al-Shabaab as it located a juncture between Wabo and Elbur and between Ceel Dheere and Derri, Voice of America reports.
According to Somali officials, the special forces have already overpowered the krazed killers, in what could be the beginning of the fall of the notorious group. A Somali government official told VOA the murderous Moslems have been taking the residents "hostage" by ordering them to vacate the towns before government troops arrive.
Insiders believe capturing Elbur without significant resistance could also mean that the murderous Moslems may have surrendered in large numbers or retreated further to avoid incurring losses. The al-Shabaab murderous Moslems have been losing significant territories in recent weeks.
Analysts believe that without encountering tangible resistance from al-Shabaab, the murderous Moslems withdrawing towns and villagers and saving themselves to fight the war they have been fighting for the past 12 years - retreat into the bush, stretch government forces and supplies, besiege, and then launch complex raids and ambushes.
The government commanders said they are better prepared this time. Time will tell if that is the case, Voice of America adds. The group usually retreats before waging complex attacks, and this could inform their strategy to regulate responses to military attacks across the Horn of Africa nation.
Government troops can succeed if they do not rest and follow the murderous Moslems into the valleys and countryside. They will succeed if they carry out intel-led operations that target hideouts, supplies, and deny them the opportunity to rest and gather, analysts say. A major component of this operation will be air support, and the government has options to utilise effectively.
UPDATE: Al Shabab group released what it says are photos of the scene of today's attack in Oswein. The images show soldiers taken alive, damaged vehicles, abandoned caches of arms and gory pictures of dead soldiers in Somalia's army uniform. https://t.co/YuAnrYfAUv pic.twitter.com/Gw7HSSJHHT
— Shabelle Media Network (@ShabelleMedia) August 26, 2023