Live

In Pictures

Gallery

Exclusive: Al-Shabab moves in on central Somalia

As Somalia prepares for polls later this year al-Shabab quietly takes over towns left by withdrawing Ethiopian troops.

Al-Shabab fighters undergoing training outside the central town of Moqokori are part of the group's Special Forces [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Al-Shabab fighters undergoing training outside the central town of Moqokori are part of the group's Special Forces [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
By 
Hamza Mohamed
14 Nov 2016

Mogadishu, Somalia – Somalia-based rebel group al-Shabab has been on the offensive in recent months retaking strings of towns in south and central Somalia.

Since the start of this year the group which is linked to al-Qaeda has retaken at least 10 towns from Ethiopian and African Union troops. They retook four towns in the past month.

Analysts say that the change in fortune of al-Shabab is in part due to events outside Somalia. The anti-government protests in neighbouring Ethiopia is the reason, they argue.

Ethiopia has thousands of troops in the Horn of Africa country as part of an agreement with the Mogadishu government to fight the armed group.

But Addis Ababa denies the claim.

Al Jazeera’s Hamza Mohamed visited an al-Shabab training camp in central Somalia and obtained these exclusive photos.

READ MORE: Al-Shabab regains land as Ethiopia pulls troops

Senior Al-Shabab leaders visited the fighters who included explosives experts, medics, mechanics and suicide bombers. [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Senior Al-Shabab leaders visited the fighters who included explosives experts, medics, mechanics and suicide bombers. [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Advertisement
Several foreign fighters from neighbouring countries are training at the camp [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Several foreign fighters from neighbouring countries are training at the camp [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Ethiopia said it was withdrawing its fighters due to financial reasons [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Ethiopia said it was withdrawing its fighters due to financial reasons [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Al-Shabab controlled the town for more than seven years before Ethiopian and Somali troops recaptured it [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Al-Shabab controlled the town for more than seven years before Ethiopian and Somali troops recaptured it [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Ethiopia said it was likely to withdraw from more towns in the coming months [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Ethiopia said it was likely to withdraw from more towns in the coming months [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Children came out to watch as al-Shabab military convoy entered Moqokori town [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Children came out to watch as al-Shabab military convoy entered Moqokori town [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Advertisement
Since 2011 al-Shabab has lost control of most major towns and cities in the country [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Since 2011 al-Shabab has lost control of most major towns and cities in the country [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Al-Shabab is fighting to overthrow Somalia's internationally recognised government [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Al-Shabab is fighting to overthrow Somalia's internationally recognised government [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
They want to impose a strict version of Islamic law in the country [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
They want to impose a strict version of Islamic law in the country [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
The Somali government has placed bounty on most of al-Shabab leaders [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
The Somali government has placed bounty on most of al-Shabab leaders [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
The Somali government has also offered amnesty to any al-Shabab fighter who renounce the group [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
The Somali government has also offered amnesty to any al-Shabab fighter who renounce the group [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Most al-Shabab fighters have walked away from the government's amnesty offer [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Most al-Shabab fighters have walked away from the government's amnesty offer [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
The vehicles the group is using were taken during raids on government troops bases [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
The vehicles the group is using were taken during raids on government troops bases [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Some of al-Shabab's weapons were also taken from attacks on African Union bases [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
Some of al-Shabab's weapons were also taken from attacks on African Union bases [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera]
More from Gallery

In Pictures: Angry India farmers march against ‘pro-market’ laws

A protester kicks away a tear gas canister fired by police to disperse farmers at a roadblock as they try to march to New Delhi [Money Sharma/AFP]

In Pictures: Grief and shock over Maradona’s death

People gather to mourn Maradona's death outside the Diego Amrando Maradona stadium in Buenos Aires [Magali Druscovich/Reuters]

In Pictures: Diego Armando Maradona, 1960-2020

Maradona coaching Argentina's national team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. [Oliver Weiken/EPA]

In Pictures: China’s moon mission milestone

The Long March-5 rocket is transported to the launching area. [AFP]
Most Read

At least 110 civilians killed in ‘gruesome’ Nigeria massacre

Men carry the bodies of people killed in the attack during a mass burial in Zabarmari [Ahmed Kingimi/Reuters]

Poison gas, firing squads: US approves more execution methods

This year, the Justice Department put to death more people than during the previous half-century [Michael Conroy/AP]

Mysterious monolith vanishes from Utah desert

The smooth, tall structure was found during a helicopter survey of bighorn sheep in southeastern Utah [File: Utah Department of Public Safety via AP Photo]

Trump adviser Kushner and team heading to Qatar, Saudi Arabia

In September, Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met with White House senior adviser Jared Kushner in Doha, Qatar [File: Qatar News Agency via Reuters]