The Kenyan army says its troops have taken control of the southern Somali port city of Kismayo, a major stronghold of al-Shabab fighters.

A Kenyan army spokesman said on Friday, “It was a joint operation both on air and ground. We finally entered Kismayo at 2:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Thursday).”

Kenya has carried out many airstrikes on Somalia in the past few months.

“We cannot give casualty figures at the moment, the damage has not been assessed, but I can tell you our forces are already in Kismayo,” the spokesman added.

However, residents and al-Shabab fighters denied that the Kenyan troops entered the strategically important city and said the soldiers were still on the outskirts of Kismayo.

“They are not very close to the city because the coast where they are now is around nine kilometers (six miles) from downtown,” stated an al-Shabab commander.

Somalia has not had an effective central government since 1991, when warlords overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.
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Press TV