Al-Shabab insurgents have seized the town of Tardo in Somalia’s central Hiiran region, according to a military official.
Somali lawmaker Dahir Amin said at least 12,500 families have fled Tardo and the nearby town of Muqokori, which Al-Shabab captured last week.
The group is advancing to other areas in the region. About 100 Somali soldiers have been deployed to reinforce the counterattack led by local clan fighters.
Al-Shabab has waged an insurgency in Somalia since 2007, in an attempt to overthrow the country’s government.