The Somali government is purging Al-Shabaab from Somalia

The President of Somalia paid a brief visit to the temporary headquarters of the Jubbaland regional administration, where he met with the administration’s leaders, elders, and the security forces of Jubbaland.

The trip’s main aim is to discuss with the Jubbaland administration the way forward in fighting Al-Shabaab. During his visit, the president chaired the meeting of the cabinet of state ministers and discussed with them the liberation of the areas under the control of Al-Shabaab.

“We prefer to solve the problems that bring solutions to others, and one of them is the liberation of the country from Al-Shabaab.” Hassan Shiekh said this while speaking in Kismanyo mosque.

In the coming weeks, Somalia is expected to welcome non-ATMIS troops from the frontline countries who will be part of the operation against Al-Shabaab.

Hussein Sheikh Mohamud, the National Security Adviser to President Hassan Sheikh, told VOA about the existence of non-ATMIS troops coming from frontline countries to help Somalia re-liberate Al-Shabaab-held areas.

The Somali government has requested international support many times to remove Al-Shabaab from the country.

The US trains special forces for Somalia to combat Al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups operating in the Horn of Africa. Also, Turkey and other Somali partners train forces to strengthen the capacity of national troops.

On February 23, 2023, the military commanders of Somalia’s neighboring states, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti, signed an operational agreement against Al-Shabaab in Nairobi.

In early February, Somalia invited the leaders of neighboring countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti to Mogadishu to discuss the fight against Al-Shabaab, and the leaders decided to jointly fight against the group that is generally insecure in these countries.

The government forces have expelled Al-Shabaab from many areas of Galmudug and Hirshabelle.

Al-Shabaab emerged in 2007 after the entry of the Ethiopian troops in Somalia aiding the interim government established in Kenya.