Mogadishu-KNN-Military forces in the Puntland region of Somalia have recaptured Af Urur, a strategic town from Islamic militant group al Shabaab.
Captain Saiid Mohamed Diriye said the town, whose main road links the the cities of Garowe, Bosaso and the Somali capital Mogadishu, was retaken by his forces without a fight.
Puntland has its own government and security forces patrolling its territory but Diriye said Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab fighters had captured the town last month.
Al Shabaab aims to expel the African Union-mandated peace keeping force from Somalia, topple its central government and establish an administration based on its strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.
