Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Wednesday visited Adan Yabal, a town in Middle Shabelle region, about 220 kilometres north of Mogadishu, which was recently liberated from the jihadist group Al-Shabaab.
The town had been under the control of Al-Shabaab militants for the past 15 years until an allied force comprising of units of the Somali National Army (SNA) and local volunteer vigilantes, commonly known as Mo’awisley, liberated it in November.
PM Barre was received by the president of Hirshabelle, his deputy Ali Abdullahi Gudlawe, SNA officers and local community elders. Hirshabelle is one of the federal member states of the Federal Government of Somalia that comprise of Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions.
Jubilation and enthusiasm
There was jubilation and expression of enthusiasm after PM Barre visited the district that had been under the strict rule of the extremist group for a decade and half.