Somali, AU troops retake key port from Shebab

World Bulletin / News Desk

Somali government troops and African Union peacekeepers on Saturday recaptured the key port of Merka from Shebab insurgents, just one day after they 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,” a Somali military official, Abdirisak Mohamed, told AFP by telephone from Mogadishu. 

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