After the Ethiopian troops recently based in Jowhar town pulled out from there a heavily armed fighters from the Islamic courts union have entered jowhar town 90km north of Mogadishu where they started security patrol on Tuesday night-residents said.

Armed with vehicles the fighters have begun house-to-house search operations in area in/surrounding Jowhar town to peruse illicit-groups those the residents have expressed concern.

The Islamists are reportedly wanted to hunt down gang groups in the town those make robbery acts in the town.

The fighters have also gone into Mahaday neighborhood nearby Jowhar town the provincial capital of Middle Shabelle region.

The Islamic fighters have previously withdrawn from the town after Ethiopian troops arrived in the town.

The residents in the township have hailed the arrival of the Islamic courts fighters.

No comments could be reached from the Islamic courts officials regarding on their returning of Jowhar town.

On April 27, al-Shabaab briefly took over the town of Jowhar for the third time in a single month. The group’s leaders told rallies that the fighters had not come to impose their rule, but were responding to the invitation of the local people. In 2006, the ICU preached a similar message when they ran over town after town across southern and central Somalia.

The ICU leaders said they had been invited to the villages, districts and regions and promised to deal with criminals terrorizing the people of the areas. But instead of occupying Jowhar this time, the forces withdrew before the arrival of Ethiopian and TFG forces.

Reports say eight towns in districts like Bu’ale, Qansah Dhere and Ufurow Bay and Middle Juba have fallen into the hands of Islamists. These are now under control of the young fighters after TFG administrators abandoned their posts before al-Shabaab arrived

Shabelle Media Network