11 Al-Shabaab fighters killed in security operation in Baay region

Somali government forces killed a number of Al-Shabaab fighters in an operation conducted in  Southern part of the country, local official said.

11 Al-Shabaab fighters were killed on Friday in the remote village of Goofgaduud of Baay region, according to Goofgaduud cheif, Ahmed Adan Mohamed.

‘’Our security forces launched a surprise attack on them [al-Shabaab militants] and killed 11 of them. We seized a number of weapons and apprehended 10 others who will questioned”  he said in an interview with Goobjoog News. Adding that they will never allow the Al-Shabaab militants to collect unjustified levies on pastoralists.

One man who lives in the area, however, said residents feel abandoned.

“many people abandoned the area fearing to fall victim,” said the Goofgaduud resident.

Government and regional leaders said they are going to intensify more security operations against Al-Qaida linked group of Al-Shabaab across the Horn of Africa nation.

The group lost many key towns in south and central Somalia, but it still carries out deadly attacks in Somalia including the killing of Kenyan soldiers in Gedo region on Jan. 15 and attack on a beach restaurant in Mogadishu in late January.