Somali government claimed to have killed at least 44 al-Shabaab fighters in covert operation in Lower Shabelle region.
According to Deputy Minister of Information, Abdirahman Yusuf Adala who spoke to the state-owned media, the operation was conducted by forces of the National Intelligence and Security Agency backed by International Partners.
The operation which took place last night was carried out in Ali Fuuto location near Kurtowarey district.
“Our Intelligence, NISA and International Partners destroyed the terrorist strong-holds where they were regrouping at the time of the special operation”, Adala said.
He expressed the Somalia’s commitment to eradicate the terrorists’ hide-outs in Lower Shabelle and the rest of the country.
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.
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 Southwest State and the Jubaland region.
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.
