Somali forces capture key Islamist town

Mogadishu: Somalia's pro-government troops captured a key southern town from their Islamist rivals on Wednesday.

Resident Mahamud Ismail said from the town of Jowhar, 90 kilometres north of the Islamist-held capital, "The government has taken over Jowhar. I can see government troops on top of armoured vehicles chasing Islamists troops ... heading toward Mogadishu."

Witnesses said residents left their houses to cheer pro-government troops, backed by Ethiopian tanks, which pursued the Islamists as sporadic gunfire echoed in the air.

The retreating Islamists appeared to be heeding a call by their senior leader Shaikh Sharif Ahmed for forces to gather in Mogadishu to prepare for a long war against old foe Ethiopia.

"Most of our troops should converge in and around our bases in Mogadishu and should prepare for a very long war against our enemies," he told reporters late on Tuesday.