MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Government of Somalia has said that a joint operation has killed a senior leader of Al-Shabaab, who was a member of the surveillance team in the Lower Shabelle region.
A press release from the government said that Farah Yare and other members who were with him were targeted in the operation while they were passing through the village of Raydabley between Mubarak and Ugunji areas in the Lower Shabelle region.
The statement further said, “Mahamud Hassan Kadiye (Biriq) was an old man who was in charge of extortion and tribal lawsuits, and he was in charge of the water wells in Ugunji.”
On the other hand, the government forces and international partners are carrying out a planned operation in the forest area of Mahaday district in the Middle Shabelle region.
The statement did not specify the foreign partner that helped the operation, but often, U.S. Africa Command drones carry out attacks on Somali militant targets.
These military developments come at a time when the army, with the help of forces from neighboring countries, is up for the second phase of an offensive against al-Shabab.
Somalia has been plagued by years of insecurity with the main threats being from the al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIS terror groups.
Al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government and African Union mission in Somalia since 2007.
