MOGADISHU, Somalia — The African Union (AU) Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) said its forces killed two al-Shabaab militants and recovered weapons during an ambush on Friday evening in Beled Amin, southwestern Somalia.
The ATMIS said in a statement issued on Saturday that the militants had tried to launch an attack in Beled Amin, an agricultural area, but the ATMIS forces responded swiftly and killed two of the group’s fighters.
The AU mission said the ATMIS forces managed to recover two sub-machine guns, six magazines, and 130 rounds of ammunition.
Residents said the militants have been levying illegal taxes and exhorting food items from farmers in Beled Amin.
The government forces have sustained their attacks against al-Shabaab since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an all-out war against the militants in 2022.
The president has vowed that the military operations to flush out al-Shabaab militants from their strongholds will be intensified to stop extortion of the Somali people and the spread of propaganda, intimidation, and extremism in Somalia.
Source: Xinhua
