Militia in Somalia Abandons Key Positions to Radical Group

MOGADISHU, Somalia — An Islamist militia abandoned several key positions in and outside this capital late Sunday, the latest indication that it has proven the weaker in its rivalry with the Shabab, the radical militant group that now controls much of Somalia.
Fighters loyal to the militia, Hizbul Islam, controlled large swaths of territory in southern and central Somalia, including in Mogadishu, but were steadily losing ground to the Shabab. Both groups were united in the fight against the weak transitional government and the forces of the African Union Mission in Somalia but had a different political agenda and leadership. Read More