Reports from the outskirts of Mogadishu indicate that Al-Shabaab insurgents seized areas near Arbiska yesterday after government forces withdrew from positions they had held there.
According to reports, government forces retreated from the village of Basra, where fighting had taken place in recent days between government troops and Al-Shabaab insurgents.
It was reported that yesterday government troops stationed on the outskirts of Basra and Arbiska area, near the Afgoye road had withdrawn towards the Dayniile district.
The withdrawal of troops reportedly gave Al-Shabaab the opportunity to easily take control of areas between Basra and Arbiska, with no major fighting reported at the locations the forces had vacated.
The situation in the area is currently unpredictable, as residents living near Basra and Arbiska expressed concern over shifts in the security landscape there.
Security officials stated that the situation remains tense, and the final outcome of the movements involving government forces and Al-Shabaab has not yet been fully confirmed.
There has been no official statement from the Federal Government of Somalia detailing whether Al-Shabaab has fully seized control of the areas between Basra and Arbiska.
The troop withdrawal and Al-Shabaab movements coincide with a period marked by recent military operations between government forces and Al-Shabaab in areas near Mogadishu.
