capturing the baraway is part of a larger strategy to try to cut off the group's supply change. al jazeera's katherine sawyer. >> making their way carefully into baraway, a somali army secures the roads. firing warning shots as they take control of the city. most of al shabaab's fighters and senior command left longing longago. >> the resistance hasn't been as heavy as it was in mazawi, we continued moving. the shots kept reducing, reducing and they're actually retreating back to the ocean, the coastline and saw them jump into the boats. >> this is the town square in baraway, the same square al shabaab used for executions, as recently as a few weeks ago. now, a few people who live here, there is still a lot of anxiety, these people haven't seen any government presence since the collapse of somalia in 1991. and this is their governor who they have not seen since 2008. here he keeps his promise to publicly cut off his hair, if this day ever came. >> really, it is a great day because it was you know, the center,. >> this man gives us a glimpse of what life was like under al shabaab