Somali president undeterred by mortar

President Muhamud vowed to eliminate "terrorists" from Somalia on Saturday as he visited the newly recaptured port town of Barawe, 220 kilometers (120 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu.

An aircraft carrying the president and several ministers landed safely in Barawe despite a mortar barrage launched by suspected militants. An al-Shabab spokesman said the president had "narrowly escaped."

For six years, until last Sunday, Barawe had been controlled by al-Shabab rebels who used it as a conduit to import arms and export charcoal to earn revenues.

Barawe's government recapture added to a string of defeats for al-Shabab in its heartland in south and central Somalia. The potent force was driven from Mogadishu in 2011. Kenya AU troops have controlled Kismayu since 2012.

Fund-raising charcoal exports banned

President Muhamud told journalists and Barawe residents that his UN-backed government had banned charcoal exports and had urged the UN Security Council in a letter to stop countries from importing charcoal - thereby financing al-Shabab.

UN monitors in a recent report said the main recipients were the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Kuwait.

In Barawe, the president offered to "pardon and rehabilitate those who surrender from al-Shabab.

We shall eliminate the terrorists from Somalia," he added.

Last year, al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack on the Westgate shopping mail in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. At least 67 people were killed.

ipj/glb (Reuters, dpa)