Al- Qaida- linked insurgents lose control of major city

Truckloads of Ethiopian and Somali troops on Wednesday captured the strategic Somali city of Baidoa from al- Qaida- allied Shebaab insurgents, who vowed to avenge their biggest loss in several months. The blow to the insurgency coincided with the UN Security Council boosting the strength of an African Union force in Mogadishu by more than 5,000 troops and came on the eve of a conference in London aimed at reviving peace efforts. “We have taken control of Baidoa without a single shot. It is a great day for the people who are now welcoming us warmly,” said Muhidin Ali, a Somali government military commander.