Gov’t, rebel spokesmen: Islamist militia leaving many bases in Somali capital
Source: washingtonpost MOGADISHU, Somalia — Government and rebel spokesmen say that Islamist forces are pulling out of the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Government spokesman Abdirahman Omar Osman said Saturday that al-Shabab was retreating from the city. He called it a “golden victory for the Somali people.” However, Al-Shabab spokesman Ali Mohamed Rage told a local radio station that the retreat was aimed to enable a counter-attack. He says there will be no pull out from other regions of southern Somalia. The extent of the retreat or what it means was not immediately clear. Residents reported al-Shabab militia leaving their positions overnight. The militia has never abandoned the city entirely. Somalia is in the grip of famine and has had no functioning government for 20 years.