MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – At least 42 al-Shabaab fighters were killed, and dozens wounded following clashes with the Somali military backed by local militias in the Middle Shabelle region.
According to the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, 27 al-Shabaab fighters were killed in an overnight operation while the other 15 were killed in an operation conducted the following morning.
“Somali government is committed to eliminating al-Shabaab fighters in the country. The operations will be continuous and will be expanded,” the ministry said.
Somali forces backed by local clan militias launched to liberate areas under al-Shabaab control in central Somalia last year. The allied forces succeeded to liberate dozens of towns and villages in the Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle, Galgadud and Mudug regions.
According to the government, the forces also killed more than 2,000 al-Shabaab fighters, a claim not confirmed by al-Shabaab.
Al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government for more than a decade. The group also carried out the deadly bombing in major towns.
Discussion about this post