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Following the capture of a number of key town and port cities by Somali and allied forces in recent weeks, the al-Shabaab movement is beginning to show significant financial strain.

In an audio message posted in an Islamist chat room on Saturday (June 23rd), Sheikh Yusuf Isse "Kaba-kutukade" -- the al-Shabaab leader for Lower Shabelle -- called on Somali businessmen, expatriates and supporters in exile to make donations to the organisation so it can defend itself and protect the dwindling areas under its control.

"I urge you to respond to this movement with goodness and virtue, and give your money and sacrifice yourselves in the name of the true path of jihad," he said in his message.

Fadumo Mohamed Sheikh Nur of the Somali Ministry of Defence said al-Shabaab is showing severe signs of financial strain and has regressed in its fighting tactics as a result of internal conflicts within the group.

"Al-Shabaab announced it was under the strain of a severe financial crisis and may not be able to continue fighting [...] because their ammunition has run out and because of the low morale among senior Somali and foreign leaders, some of whom are detained at the central prison while others surrendered to the government forces over the past four months," she told Sabahi.

She added that Somali troops are expanding the scope of their fighting in an attempt to crush terrorist groups in the central and southern parts of the country before the transitional government's mandate expires on August 20th.

Political analyst Amran Jama Aadan said al-Shabaab is becoming unable to defend its strongholds because of the lack of equipment, training and money. As a result, the organisation has resorted to hit and run attacks and guerrilla warfare on military convoys.

Weapons cache seized in Mogadishu

Meanwhile, Somali security forces discovered a weapons and ammunition cache belonging to the al-Shabaab movement in the Suuqa Holaha area in northern Mogadishu on June 21st, security officials said.

According to Transitional Federal Government police chief General Sharif Sheekhuna Maye, local police received a telephone call from a resident living in the north-eastern part of the capital who provided information about the cache.

The police in turn will give the informant a financial reward for providing this information.

Maye said the cache included artillery shells, cylinders filled with explosives and chemicals, anti-aircraft and shoulder-fired missiles, and machine guns.

Security forces later displayed the weapons for the media at the Mogadishu Stadium, which is now the second largest military camp for African Union forces.