Al-Shabaab suffers defeats as escalating military operations in Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia – More than 130 Al-Shabaab militants have been killed in Somalia in the past three weeks, Defense Force Chief Gen. Odowa Yusuf Rageh confirmed, adding that troops would continue to clear militants from their various hiding places. in the country.
Most of those killed were caught by the Somali National Army [SNA] in Middle and Lower Shabelle, where they have a huge leadership, he noted. Security forces have stepped up their operations in these particular areas and have successfully liberated several villages.
According to General Odowaa, the offensive will be stepped up in all Al-Shabab hideouts in the area near Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Activists have collapsed in the city in recent weeks, often carrying out attacks on a small or large scale, he said.
The operation was aimed primarily at Middle Shabelle in central Somalia and was widely hailed as “successful” by several SNA commanders who participated in the exercise. This is not the first time the military has targeted Al-Shabaab in central Somalia.
During the operations, state media reported, dozens of Al-Shabaab bomb experts, including foreign fighters, were killed by security forces. Most of those who died were cornered in Ala-Futow and Qoryoley in Lower Shabelle, another notorious Al-Shabaab hideout.
The experts were stranded in one of the houses where they were preparing explosives for Al-Shabaab fighters, state media noted, adding that some of the explosives had detonated. The number of people killed in this particular incident has not yet been revealed, but security forces say at least 60 people have died.
“Many al-Shabab bomb expert members, including foreigners, died in Ala-Futow village in Qoryoley district in Lower Shabelle region after a house where explosive materials were found. were prepared by terrorists exploded on Monday, “a SONNA tweet read.
Progress comes months before the exit of African Union mission forces who are expected to depart during the implementation of the Somali transition plan [STP] late this year. Foreign troops train SNA troops to assume security responsibilities in the country.
“Somali National Army [SNA] is conducting offensive security operations to flush out an Al-Shabab terrorist group in the Middle Shebelle region for the third week. More than 100 terrorists have been killed in ongoing operations, ”state media added.
General Odowaa conducted the operation contrary to force protocols. The young general is credited with helping flush out Al-Shabaab from different parts of the country under his leadership.
But unfortunately Major Mohamed Abdiwahid, the commander of the 6th Somali Special Forces Battalion [Gorgor] was killed in a battle between SNA and the Al-Shabab terror group in the village of Jalable in the Middle Shabelle region on Thursday last week.
The commander was among the officers leading the ongoing security operations against terrorists in the Middle Shabelle region. The hero who paid the ultimate price for his country’s stability has been in military service for more than 10 years.
Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Rooble offered his sincere condolences to the family, the Somali army and all the Somali people on the death of Major Mohamed Abdiwahid. He was one of the main victims of the crackdown on Al-Shabaab.
Al-Shabaab still poses danger in Somalia and Kenya, with UN Security Council [UNSC] designate the group as terrorists. Britain, Turkey and the United States also trained the Somali army, which was considerably weakened after the ousting of military dictator Siad Barre.
AXADLETM
.
