AU, Somali forces capture Garas-weyne village

The Somali army, backed by the African Union peacekeeping troops, on Saturday captured Garas-weyne village in southwest Somalia from Islamist group Al-Shabaab, an official has said.

Deputy Governor of Bakool region, Adam Abdi Mohamed, told reporters that the joint forces took control of the  area without resistance from the militants. The area is located about some 50 km west of Hudur town, the capital of Bakool region.

The official said the operations against the militant group Al-Shabaab will continue until they are cleared out of the region.

The Somali army and the AU forces often carry out military operations in the south and central Somalia to flush out Al-Shabaab militants.