MOGADISHU, Somalia, Oct. 31 (GNA) -- Somalia has regained ground from al-Shabaab, further weakening the terror group, the government and the United Nations announced this week.President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared Monday that "Al-Shabaab has lost all its territory..."
That declaration followed an intense joint operation by Somalia's National Army and the African Union Mission in Somalia to retake strategic towns from al-Shabaab.
AMISOM noted Tuesday that "The fight against al-Shabaab has been relentless," and posted maps to Twitter depicting the loss of al-Shabaab's territorial holdings since January.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon applauded Somalia for its counter-terrorism efforts during a visit to Mogadishu on Wednesday.
"Al Shabab's power is declining, but it is not gone. I congratulate the Somali National Army and AMISOM for their advances and the contributions to peace and stability of Somalia. It is critical that they now secure roads to newly recovered areas to enable commercial traffic and humanitarian access."
Somalia's president acknowledged earlier in the week the "government priority is to provide support to recovered areas stripped bare by fleeing al-Shabaab."
SOURCE: UPI