Ethiopian troops stand guard over the town of Baidoa in southern Somalia.<br/> <br />The soldiers just hours before wrested control of this area from Islamist militants - part of an international effort to bring some stability to the war-ravaged country.<br/> <br />The loss of Baidoa is seen as a major blow for the al Qaeda-backed al Shabaab rebel group, which once controlled large swaths of the country.<br/> <br />This Ethiopian general said the rebels put up little resistance.<br/> <br />Baidoa was an important stronghold of al-Shabaab, which has come under intense pressure from Somalia's neighbours.<br/> <br />In addition to Ethiopia, Kenya has opened up a front against the Islamist group as have peacekeepers from the African Union.<br/> <br />Andrew Raven, Reuters.
