BAIDOA (Halbeeg)- Southwest State forces have freed 10 locals who were reportedly kidnapped by Al-Shabab fighters in Southern Somalia.
Somali government and Human Rights Watch had previously accused the group of forcing locals to join its armed struggle.
Speaking to the media, Shine Moalim Nuriyow, a military commander in Diinsoor town said that the state’s forces rescued the locals from Al-Shabab controlled area in Bay region.
According to Nuriyow, the operation took place in a locality, 75km outside Diinsoor town.
“We rescued ten people from Al-Shabab fighters. Some of the rescued people were forced by Al-Shabab to pay money or AK47 and face imprisonment,” the commander said.
He said government forces had killed four fighters in the operation after the group attempted to resist.
“After we rescued the locals, some of Al-Shabab fighters tried to block our way but we defeated them, four of them were killed,” Nuriyow said.
No comment was immediately available from Al-Shabab on the reports of rescue and death of its fighters.
The operation comes just six months after Somali troops stormed a school run by Al-Shabab and rescued 32 children who had been taken as recruits by the group.
Al-Shabab which has been fighting the Somali military for over a decade wants to overthrow the Somali government.
The group carries out deadly attacks against the Somali government and its troops
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