Sixty Al-Shabaab fighters killed, 38 others captured in Mudug, says Galmudug president

Sixty Al-Shabaab fighters have been killed and 38 others captured by Gamudug forces in two day fighting in Mudug region, Galmudug president Abdikarim Hussein Guleed said on Friday.

Al-Shabaab fighters who were defeated by Puntland forces, crossed into Galmudug controlled areas on Thursday, prompting heavy fighting between Galmudug forces and the fighters.

Visiting the wounded soldiers at Adado Hospital, Guleed said sixty Al-Shabaab fighters have been so far killed in the fighting.

“The enemy has lost 60 militants and 38 others were captured. We took all their weapons, and I am thanking the people of Galmudug who played a vital role of helping the state forces and refused to allow the enemy to set up a safe haven in this region’’, said President Guled.

He stated that Galmudug forces are about to conclude the operation against the fighters.

Guled has called on the people of Galmudug to take part in the wider military operation against Al Shabab across the country

On Friday, Galmudug Information minister, Mohamud Adan Osman who spoke to Goobjoog News said 7 of the Galmudug soldiers were injured during the battle with Al-Shabaab fighters who stormed the region early Thursday.

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

Being exerted on pressure from different sides, Al-Shabaab seems to have diverted their operations to northern part of Somalia.