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Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces, supported by Kenyan troops, have started a large-scale operation advancing towards the coastal city of Kismayo, capital of the Lower Juba region, in southern Somalia.

Taking the port city from al-Shabaab may dry up funding for the al-Qaeda allied movement, which considers Kismayo as a financial hub.

Travellers along the road that connects Afmadow with Kismayo told Sabahi that Somali and Kenyan military reinforcements have been spotted advancing towards the town of Bulo Haji, west of Kismayo, with TFG forces reportedly about 110 kilometres from the port city.

"The terrorists are in their final death throes and the zero hour is approaching," said Mahmoud Dahir Farah, spokesman for Somali forces in the Lower Juba region. "We will fight them until they surrender or leave our country."

"We are preparing to strike and prevent them from entering the southern jungle, which they have maintained as a safe haven since 2007, after being expelled from the capital Mogadishu and other parts of the country," Farah told Sabahi. "It is impossible for them to find shelter and we will prevail because we have God's blessing and support from towns and villagers."

Unconfirmed media reports say al-Shabaab leaders are starting to flee Kismayo as Somali and allied troops advance. Several al-Shabaab commanders were seen leaving the city, Somalia's Radio RBC reported on Tuesday (June 5th).

Al-Shabaab recently abandoned Afmadow, 114 kilometres north of Kismayo, without resistance. The city, home to tens of thousands of people, is a vital commercial centre for several nearby villages and has roads connecting to Kismayo and Buale.

Dhayib Aato, a resident of Afmadow, told Sabahi that al-Shabaab is like a fish and the Somali people are a raging, limitless ocean. He said Somali people have refused to provide sanctuary for al-Shabaab because it destroyed the infrastructure of the country and killed Somali intellectuals, clerics, students and journalists to satisfy criminals implicated in violence around the globe.

Mohammed Nur, also from Afmadow, told Sabahi that al-Shabaab has spilt Muslim blood, violating the Islamic faith, which calls for tolerance and forgiveness and the renunciation of violence, tension and hatred.

Somali soldier stationed in Afmadow Abdi Abukar said al-Shabaab does not understand the true meaning of jihad.

"If they are jihadists, why do they flee the battlefield after a raging battle? We often see them escaping without even being able to gather their dead and wounded," he told Sabahi. "In reality, they are hesitant and afraid of confrontation and prefer exchanging mortars and missiles while trying to occupy the presidential seat at gunpoint."

Al-Shabaab cornered, factions surrender

Analysts have repeatedly stated that the al-Qaeda-affiliated movement is on its way to collapsing, as its forces have lost morale in the face of consecutive blows from Somali and allied forces and a deteriorating financial situation. A group of al-Shabaab commanders are forming a breakaway movement to negotiate with the TFG, an al-Shabaab commander told Sabahi.

During the past two weeks, al-Shabaab has lost Afgoye in the Lower Shabelle region and Afmadow in the Lower Juba region. Al-Shabaab is now going back to guerrilla and hit-and-run tactics, which could mean an end to al-Qaeda's terrorist operations in the Horn of Africa, analysts say.

Al-Shabaab elements face confrontation in their remaining strongholds, as Somali forces move into Lower Juba from Gedo and Middle Juba, while allied forces stationed in Mogadishu and Afgoye prepare to attack the group in Middle Shabelle.

Ahmed Mohammed Islan, leader of the Somali government-allied Ras Kamboni militia, told Sabahi that joint forces will advance to seize Kismayo in Lower Juba and the towns of Buale and Jilib in the Middle Juba region.

As allied forces close in on al-Shabaab, some fighters have surrendered to the TFG, Aadan Hirsi, spokesman for the Somali army in Gedo, told Sabahi.

"An armed breakaway faction from al-Shabaab has surrendered to us," he said. "The faction includes 20 fighters armed with machine guns and a vehicle with an attached DShK machine gun. They were welcomed in Beled Hawo after they were disarmed as a first step towards rehabilitating and then reintegrating them into society at a special centre for dissidents who have left the ranks of extremists."

"Other al-Shabaab fighters still have a chance to surrender before our forces seize all towns that are part of the region, including Bortobo and Baardheere," Hirsi said. "We will execute a comprehensive plan of attack to take control of new areas."