Somali army chief General Odowa Yusuf Rage has paid a visit to a key military base in central town amid preparation for a final push against Al-Shabaab militants in the country.

Rage accompanied by top army generals met with soldiers stationed in the base camp in Abduwak town, the second leg of a tour to armed forces operating in Galgadud region.

SNA forces have been battling Al-Shabaab for nearly a decade with the help of AU troops serving under the umbrella of AMISOM, taking strategic towns from the militant group.

Despite losing ground, Al-Shabaab still holds key areas in the country and capable of staging car bombs and direct gun attacks in the country, mainly in Mogadishu.