Somali al-Shabaab group seizes three towns

April 24, 2010 According to witness reports, three towns in the region of Somalia have been taken over by the counter-government group al-Shabaab, taking them from a rival group, the pro-government.

The three taken towns were El Der, Galad, and Masagaway; they were taken over without any resistance from Ahlu Sunna. All three are on the road to the Somali capital Mogadishu.

Senior al-Shabaab official Sheik Yusuf Kabokudukade commented that "[w]e have overrun the militants who tried to stop the efforts to spread Islam in Somalia. With the power of we have taken control of three districts in Galgadud region. We will not stop until we take control of the whole region from the enemy of Allah."

Al-Shabaab group controls large portions of southern central Somalia, and part of of Mogadishu.