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MOGADISHU - The Somali National Army backed by local forces on Wednesday recaptured Masagaway town in the Galguduud region of central Somalia's Galmudug State from al-Shabab militants after an operation.

Abdirahman Yusuf Al-Adala, the deputy minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Federal Government of Somalia, said the troops managed to liberate the strategic town from al-Shabab, following a successive military onslaught.

"The al-Shabab terrorists have been removed from Masagaway town and operations to pursue them are going on from several fronts in eastern parts of the Galguduud region at the moment," Adala said.

There were no reports of casualties from both sides during the military onslaught against the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group that had been controlling Masagaway town in the last four months after government forces left.

Meanwhile, Somali troops have taken over round-the-clock security at Villa Somalia, the presidential palace, from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).