Somali government forces with the support of troops from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) moved into the Kismayo seaport and airport on Monday 1st of October in a move to secure the former stronghold of Al-Shabaab.

At the end of September an advance AMISOM force conducted a beach landing operation to the north of the city. Over the past month, they have secured a string of towns and centres on the road between Afmadow and Kismayo including Miido, Bibi and Jana Cabdalla.