Mogadishu: The Somali National Army (SNA) killed 50 al-Shabaab fighters and wounded others during a coordinated military operation on the outskirts of Baidoa in Southwest State, authorities said on Friday.
The Ministry of Defence said the forces destroyed multiple technical battle vehicles, weapons caches, and operational equipment used by the militant group during the assault on Thursday.
The ministry also accused armed militia loyal to the former Southwest State leader Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed of directly colluding with al-Shabaab militants. Mohamed has, however, denied the accusations, Xinhua news agency reported.
“The government reaffirms that it will never tolerate any individual or group using weapons or armed militias for political purposes or to undermine national security. Anyone supporting terrorists or providing them cover will face action in accordance with the law,” the ministry said in a statement.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the dawn ambush, asserting that its fighters successfully killed two senior SNA commanders and seized four military transport vehicles during the withdrawal.
Last month, Somali armed forces, backed by international partners, killed 22 al-Shabaab militants, including a commander, during targeted operations carried out over the country’s southern region.
The Ministry of Defence said on April 29 that the operations, involving ground forces and airstrikes, resulted in the killing of militants in Buulo Cabdalla in the Lower Shabelle region.
Among the dead was Commander Cabdiraxmaan Jeeri, who was known for terrorising the local civilian population.
“The ministry also expresses its appreciation to international partners for their continued support for operations aimed at advancing peace and stability in Somalia,” it said in a statement.
The ministry underlined its ongoing commitment to intensifying operations, which are part of a broader strategy to maintain stability by eliminating al-Shabaab terrorists.
The al-Shabaab extremist group was driven out of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2011, but militants are still hiding in rural areas of these regions, conducting ambushes and planting landmines.
(IANS)
