Beletweyne has been a battleground between forces allied to the Transitional Federal Government and Islamic insurgents and has changed hands about four times since 2009.
It has been under the control of Al-Shabab for the past two months.
“I hope that the back-and-forth struggle for control of the town ends and we get a real peace that lasts,” one resident said.
A local journalist told IRIN the people were tired “and don’t really care any more who controls it, as long as they don’t have to flee again”.
He said that government forces were about 25km away from the town and could mount an attack at any time. “But for now people are enjoying the calm and praying for continuing peace.”
