MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab has captured the town of Tardo in Somalia’s Hiran region, just days after taking control of the nearby strategic town of Moqokori.
Both towns were strongholds of Mawisley clan militias, which had successfully pushed Al-Shabaab fighters out of large swathes of territory in eastern Hiran region during a major offensive in mid-2022, supported by the Somali National Army and U.S. airstrikes.
Al-Shabaab has released photos showing its fighters inside Tardo and its black flag raised over key buildings. Tardo had served as a vital supply and logistics hub for both clan militias and Somali government forces in recent months, playing a key role in defending nearby towns in the Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions.
Neither the Somali federal government nor Hiran regional administration has officially commented on the fall of Tardo. The development comes amid increased mobilization by regional officials and clan leaders to defend Mahas, one of the largest towns in Hiran, which has remained out of militant hands for over a decade.
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