AU, Somali troops capture town from Al-Shabaab

Somali troops and African Union peacekeeping forces on Tuesday captured a town in southwest Somalia from Al-Shabaab militants, an army official said.

Somali military commander Abdullahi Farah told Xinhua Al-Shabaab militants withdrew from Mooragaabey town in Bakool region as the joint forces were advancing.

Farah said the forces were conducting an operation to push back and catch Al-Shabaab fighters, who are controlling parts of Bakool region.

Somalia-based Al-Shabaab extremist group has been forced out of its major strongholds by the AU and Somali forces but continues to launch bomb and gun attacks in the country.