Al-Shabab has seized the key town of Tardo in Somalia's Hiiran region, displacing over 12,500 families and prompting a military response. The group, linked to al-Qaeda, continues its insurgency to impose strict Islamic rule and has escalated attacks in the region this year.

Al-Shabab militants have taken control of Tardo, a strategically located town in Somalia’s central Hiiran region, according to a senior military official. Tardo, a critical junction connecting larger urban centres, was seized on Sunday after the insurgents overpowered government-allied clan militias, Major Mohamed Abdullahi told Reuters.

The fall of Tardo follows the group's recent capture of Muqokori, another nearby town, sparking a mass displacement of civilians. Somali lawmaker Dahir Amin reported that at least 12,500 families have fled the two towns due to the surge in violence.

The insurgents are now pushing into other areas within the region, prompting the deployment of approximately 100 Somali soldiers to support local clan fighters in a counteroffensive.

Al-Shabab, which has been waging an armed rebellion against the Somali government since 2007, aims to impose its own rule rooted in a hardline interpretation of Islamic law. The group, affiliated with al-Qaeda, has intensified its operations in the Hiiran region throughout the year. Although earlier this year its fighters advanced to within 50 kilometres of the capital, Mogadishu, Somali forces eventually reclaimed those areas.