Jubbaland state leader, Ahmed Mohamed Madobe has vowed to intensify offensives against al-Shabaab fighters ahead of the commencement of the federal government’s second phase of operations against al-Shabaab in the southcentral region.
During a meeting with senior officials from Danab, Darawish, Nisa, and the police, Madobe affirmed that his government is committed to liberating all areas under Al-Shabaab in Jubbaland state.
“We are committed to eradicating al-Shabaab fighters and improving the security of Jubbaland state. We will soon launch an operation to smoke al-Shabaab out of the state. We have all the necessary equipment and enough manpower to secure our areas,” he said.
Madobe did not mention the time to carry out the operations against al-Shabaab.
Early this month, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared that al-Shabab would be eliminated by the end of the year.
Mohamud said the second phase of the operation would soon begin in Somalia’s South West State and the Jubaland region.
Somali government in cooperation with local clans in Hirshabelle and Galmudug state had waged offensives against al-Shabaab fighters last year.
The allied forces liberated dozens of villages and towns in the Hiiraan, Galgadud, Mudug and Middle Shabelle regions.
According to the statement by the Ministry of Information, the government forces backed by local militias killed hundreds of fighters in months-long operations.
Somalia is also depending on troops from Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya after the neighbouring countries in January agreed to jointly launch military operations against al-Shabab strongholds.
