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Somali Army Ramps up Military Offensives to Flush out Al-Shabab Militants

Storyline:Security, War on Al-Shabaab

MOGADISHU, Xinhua: Somali security forces have escalated operations against al-Shabab militants in southern Somalia in the past week, killing 40 insurgents.

The Somali National Army (SNA), supported by international partners, conducted joint operations near Afgoye District in the Lower Shabelle Region, aiming to establish control ahead of the African Union troop withdrawal in December.

The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism said that security forces killed 24 al-Shabab militants in the Baldoska area, with an additional 16 insurgents killed in an airstrike in the Baghdad location between Afgoye and Jambalul village. The operation targeted al-Shabab terrorists along the coastline, about 30 kilometers north of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for killing nine security force members and injuring 13 others in the same area on Monday.

Chief of the Somali National Army Ibrahim Mohudin said that the government has made significant progress in the war against al-Shabab in central and southern Somalia. Mohudin assured vigilance against al-Shabab ambush tactics, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, and expressed confidence in eradicating the militants soon.

Elite SNA forces also conducted operations along the border of Middle Shabelle and Galguduud regions in central Somalia, pushing militants back. Deputy Army Commander Ahmed Aden Hassan said that the operations aimed to defend locals from increased al-Shabab extortions during Ramadan.

Security experts noted that these operations represent a breakthrough in Somalia’s more than 20-year-long war against militants. They emphasized the need for the government to consolidate its gains in central Somalia while continuing offensives elsewhere.