Military Operation Kills at Least 70 Al Shabab Terrorists in Somalia
More than 70 members of the Al Shabab terror group were killed during a coordinated military operation involving Somalia’s National Army and local forces, the country’s information ministry reported on Tuesday.
“Over 70 extremist militants were eliminated through the coordinated efforts of the National Army and local forces,” the ministry stated, adding that the operation resulted in the seizure of a large weapons cache and the destruction of multiple combat vehicles used by the militants.
The offensive took place in multiple locations within Hirshabelle state, a region in south-central Somalia where Al Shabab has maintained strongholds.
Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabab has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s federal government for more than 15 years, aiming to impose strict laws in the conflict-ridden nation.
“The armed men of Al Shabab were beaten,” a local resident said by phone, describing scenes of “dozens” of militant bodies scattered across the battle zones.
Military sources indicated that the operation was a direct response to recent Al Shabab attacks in the area, which have intensified in recent days.
Al Shabab remains a significant threat, frequently carrying out bombings and armed assaults in Mogadishu and other regions of the Horn of Africa nation. Despite being driven out of the capital by African Union forces in 2011, the group continues to control vast rural territories.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has reiterated his commitment to a “total” war against Al Shabab. The ongoing military campaign has seen the Somali army working alongside local militias, with support from an African Union force and US airstrikes.
As counterterrorism efforts intensify, security analysts predict further operations aimed at dismantling Al Shabab’s operational networks and reducing their territorial influence.