MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Former Somali Security minister, Abdullahi Mohamed Nur has been appointed as Senior Presidential Advisor for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) as the operation against al-Shabaab is intensified across the nation.
In a statement, Villa Somalia said President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has selected Nur who previously served the country as the Minister of Internal Security and among other roles.
The Somali government has recently intensified ideological, economic, and military operations against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked group which has been fighting the Somali government for the past 15 years.
According to a recently released report by Somalia’s intelligence agency, over 2,000 al-Shabaab fighters were killed in more than five months-long operations in south-central Somalia.
The report also said that Al-Shabaab lost control of 50 towns in the Hiiraan, Lower and Middle Shabelle regions.
Despite the loss of the towns and fighters, al-Shabaab is still capable of carrying out deadly attacks on military bases and hotels in major towns controlled by the Somali government.
Last week, the group attacked a military base in Holowle village, prompting hours-long fighting with Somali forces. The attack claimed the lives of over a dozen soldiers at the base.
The group attacked Mahas town with twin car bombings, killing at least 25 people including civilians and injuring more than 30 people.
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