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STORY: Somalia's al Shabaab rebels retreated from the southern port of Kismayu overnight on Friday, the group and residents said, abandoning the last major bastion of their five-year revolt after an offensive by African Union and Somali government troops.
The loss of Kismayu a day after it was attacked by Kenyan and Somali soldiers backed by air strikes will deal a major blow to the al Qaeda-linked rebels, weakening morale and depriving them of revenue from taxing local businesses and shipping.
But the withdrawal is unlikely to mark the end of its five-year rebellion.
The insurgents, who once controlled large swathes of the lawless Horn of Africa country, have been turning to guerrilla-style tactics, attacking the country's government with suicide bombings and assassinations.
