115 Al-Shabaab fighters killed and 110 others captured in 4 day fighting, Galmudug President says

At least 115 Al-Shabaab fighters and 110 others captured by Galmudug forces in 4 days of  fighting in Mudug region, Galmudug president Abdikarim Hussein Guled said on Monday.

In press statement, the president said his forces dismantled Al-Shabaab fighters who last week crossed in Galmudug areas after they (Al-Shabaab fighters) engaged weeklong fighting with Puntland forces in areas of Nugal region alongside Indian Ocean.

“After 4 days of fighting, security forces killed over 115 militias and captured 110 that are in custody” said President Guled.

The president commended Galmudug security forces’ efforts and their swift response to conclude the fighting against terrorists groups.

“The people of Galmudug State hugely welcome the swift response of security forces to conclude the fighting against Al-Shabaab militia that fled from Puntland areas with the aim to re-group in Galmudug areas in order to launch terrorist attacks” the president lauded.

The development comes a day after Galmudug forces confiscated a boat carrying suspected Al-Shabaab militants off the coast of Somalia’s Mudug region.

Galmudug that the Galmudug forces had captured suspected Al-Shabaab boat on Saturday.

“Our forces while on patrol seized a boat in the area of Mudug along Indian Ocean coast,” information minister, Mohamud Adan Osman said on Sunday.

On Thursday fighting erupted between Galmudug forces and Al-Shabaab fighters in some parts of Mudug region.

Al Shabaab has been driven out of major strongholds in Somalia by AMISOM and Somali army offensives but the group still controls some rural areas and often launches guerrilla-style assaults and bomb attacks.

Experts say pressure from the southern and central Somalia is pushing Al-Shabaab towards the northern part of Somalia.