Somali Military Strikes Al-Shabaab Gathering, Officials Report

MOGADISHU, Somalia – In a bold move, the Somali National Army (SNA) on the frontlines took direct aim at a high-ranking assembly of Al-Shabaab insurgents this Tuesday, according to official sources.

Senior military sources reported that the army attacked an Al-Shabaab gathering in Caad village, nestled within Mudug. This strike resulted in the immediate demise of three militants and inflicted severe wounds on two others. The agenda of this meeting remains a mystery.

Such high-stakes meetings typically delve into the group’s strategic and policy frameworks, scrutinizing their successes and failures in ongoing conflicts, according to defense experts. For months, government operations have been underway in Mudug, top defense personnel noted.

The injured militants are now under military custody and will be interrogated to extract intelligence regarding their operations. The Al-Shabaab group, despite having lost significant territory in Mudug to government forces, isn’t ruled out for a comeback.

Interestingly, these developments unfold while Somalia is entangled in a diplomatic quarrel with Ethiopia, another Troop Contributing Country (TCC) in Somalia. Parts of Western Somalia remain under Ethiopia’s watchful eyes as part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

With the upcoming shift to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) set over the next couple of months, Somalia aims for Ethiopia’s complete pullout. The crux of their argument lies in the contentious agreement with North Western State of Somalia, deemed a breach of Somalia’s territorial sacrosanctity.

Ethiopia has requested 20 kilometers of access to the Red Sea, offering to recognize North Western State of Somalia as a sovereign entity in return. This proposal has sparked outrage in Somalia, accusing Ethiopia of flagrant international law violations.

Following Somalia’s move to bar Ethiopian troops from the new mission, analysts suggest this could potentially reinvigorate Al-Shabaab’s presence in the region.

In a pivot towards regional diplomacy, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made rounds to Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, and Djibouti, rallying their commitments to the forthcoming mission.

Source: AXADLETM

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