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The liberation of the strategic city of Hudur by allied Ethiopian and Somali government forces represents a harsh blow and a new military setback for the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab group, government officials and political analysts say.

Somali forces and supporting Ethiopian troops took hold of Hudur, capital of the Bakool region in southwest Somalia, on Thursday (March 22nd). Al-Shabaab had been using the city as a training base.

The liberation of Hudur is another success in a series of military accomplishments by allied forces in the past months. In February, allied Ethiopian and Somali government forces took over Baidoa, capital of the Bay region, which is close to Bakool, as well as Beledweyne, the capital of Hiiraan in central Somalia, at the beginning of this year.

"These successive military successes achieved by allied forces in the Bay and Bakool regions pave the way for the expulsion of al-Shabaab from the region and towards the liberation of the strategic city of Kismayo, which is considered the main stronghold and funding source for al-Shabaab," political analyst Abdulqadir Mohammed told Sabahi.

"It appears that al-Shabaab is now under siege from all sides and if the military operations were to continue at the same rate, this will undoubtedly cripple the group's military capacity and finally defeat it," Mohammed said. "Al-Shabaab is no longer able to stand in the face of the allied forces who are advancing and achieving one military victory after another."

Parliamentarian Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed "Lahos", who is accompanying military operations in the Bakool region, expressed hope that the remaining towns and cities in the Bay and Bakool regions would be liberated soon.

"The liberation of Hudur from the rebels is a huge victory for the Somali people who have long suffered from the cruelty and tyranny of the extremists," Mohamed told Sabahi while he was in Hudur.

"On Thursday, we expelled the terrorists from the city of Hudur and this operation will not stop," he said. "On the contrary, we will continue fighting until we liberate the southern provinces completely from al-Shabaab and other terrorist elements that deny peace for the Somali people."

AMISOM to deploy in liberated cities

Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali congratulated the Somali armed forces on their victory and liberation of Hudur from the grip of extremists. Speaking at a press conference in Mogadishu, Ali urged the national armed forces to double their efforts until all remaining areas are liberated from the control of al-Shabaab.

In order to maintain security and stability in the liberated areas, the prime minister said units from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) will be deployed as soon as possible to take the place of Ethiopian forces, which are preparing to withdraw by the end of April.

Ali said the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has put in place a national plan to establish peace and support reconciliation and stability in the newly liberated regions. The plan includes forming local administrations in the liberated areas to fill the void created after the expulsion of al-Shabaab. The plan also focuses on re-establishing law and order, disarming militias, redistributing humanitarian aid and providing basic services for citizens.

Somali Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aadan held a press conference in Baidoa after the liberation of Hudur, calling for an escalation in military operations to crush al-Shabaab and liberate the remaining areas from the hands of al-Qaeda-linked militants.

Hudur, 420 kilometres southwest of Mogadishu, is the third major city liberated from al-Shabaab with the help of Ethiopian forces, which entered Somalia last November. The Ethiopian contingent came to support the Somali government and open a third front to fight al-Shabaab, alongside the Kenya Defence Forces military campaign in the south and AMISOM forces in the capital.

Political analyst Abdinour Mattan said the military operation against al-Shabaab is entering a new phase after allied forces have taken control of most of the main cities in the central, western and southern parts of the country.

"This rapid advancement of Ethiopian and Somali forces, who have managed to take over most of the major cities in Hiiraan, Bakool, Bay and Gedo -- not to mention AMISOM's success in controlling most areas of Mogadishu -- spells a quick end to al-Shabaab," Mattan told Sabahi.

Security analysts say al-Shabaab has been suffering from successive military setbacks and pressure from allied forces.

Al-Shabaab downplayed the importance of the allied forces' takeover of Hudur.

"The jihadists withdrew from the city of Hudur as a military tactic and not due to defeat," the group said in a statement. "The goal of the jihadists was not to defend a particular city but to allow the enemy's forces to enter the cities and then to target them with non-stop strikes and attacks, as was the case in Beledweyne and Baidoa, which are now under the control of Ethiopia."

Allied forces imposed a curfew for Hudur residents on Friday, following a series of explosions Thursday, Somalia's Shabelle Media Network reported.

Mohamed Ibrahim Mayow, a TFG military official, said two landmines planted by al-Shabaab before they retreated exploded on Thursday. No one was injured, he told state-run Radio Mogadishu.

"When the explosion occurred, civilians closed their shops and stayed in their homes, which shows us they are working with us [to ensure safety]," he said.