Residents in the Somali city of Kismayo said that fighters from the Islamist group al-Shabab are leaving their stronghold in the port. Kismayo is the group's main base in its fight against the Somali government, which has been converging on the town with African Union (AU) soldiers. Local residents say militants have been leaving on buses and trucks, taking heavy equipment with them, according to the (BBC). But al-Shabab denies the reports, saying they have fought off AU forces. Muhammad Usman Arus, a spokesman for the al-Qaeda-affiliated group said that al-Shabab had killed around 100 Kenyan and Somali troops and pushed them back from Kismayo. "We are in Kismayo - this is a propaganda war. The Kenyan and Somali forces have already broken off and gone back to their positions," he said. African Union troops have been slowly advancing towards Kismayo for months.