At least 30 Al-Shabab fighters has been killed in Hiran region after the group engaged in deadly fighting with Somali forces, Military official confirmed.
Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers backed by AMISOM troops have been carrying operations to secure the region since February when Somali President declared new offensives against the group.
Speaking to state owned media; SNA spokesperson in Hiran region, Mohamed Noor Agajof said Somali forces seized military equipment from Al-Shabab following fierce fighting with the group.
“We killed about thirty Al-Shabab fighters, our forces captured areas from Al-Shabab, the fighting occurred in areas along the road linking Mataban, Mahas and Beledweyne towns, ” said Agajof.
Somali government with help of troops contributed by six countries has been trying flush out Al-Shabab fighters from Somalia for the last decade.
Despite the security challenges, the government took control many towns in South and central Somalia from Al-Shabab.
According to UN Security Council Resolution, AMISOM troops drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia are expected to withdraw from Somalia at the end of 2020.
Last week the Mission vowed to rump up the operations against Al-Shabab, capacity building of Somali forces as actualize AMISOM transitioning plan.
After conclusion of a weeklong evaluation meeting in Mogadishu, the Mission stressed the need to step up offensives to flush out Al-Shabab as the Mission cut down its down troops with a further 1000 expected to exit the nation in October this year.
The first batch of AMISOM left country in December 2017 in line with UN Security Council Resolution.
AMISOM called for multipliers and enablers to enable its forces to their agenda of complete pacification of Somalia.
“If the transition plan is to be realistic, without losing our hard -earned gains, AMISOM needs to be urgently supported with force multipliers, like attack and retreat helicopters, to conduct pre-emptive operations against Al-Shabab,” said AMISOM force commander, Jim Beesigye.
African Union sent its troops to Somalia in 2007 to support Somalia in peace and stability restoration.
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