MOGADISHU (Sunatimes) Somalia’s Al-Qaeda inspired militant group of Al-Shabaab has retaken the country’s border town of Beled-hawo after the pro-government troops abandoned there, witnesses told Sunatimes on Friday.

One of Ahlu-Suna Waljama military commanders named as Sheik Mohamud Hussein told the local media his fighters withdrew the town to avoid civilian casualties. “This does not mean that we accept defeat but we do this for civilian cause. We don’t want our people to be victims for the war, so we decided to leave there.” He said.

Hussein said his troops are now stationing in a place of 5 km outside of the Beled-hawo vowing to recapture the town in any possible time. “Our goal is to clear the terrorists from the entire the region in southern Somalia.” He said.

More than 40,000 people who fled Beled-hawo town now live in hard conditions in the refugee’s camps in Kenya. The town has seen repeatedly war between rival groups for the past few years.