AWDHEEGLE, Somalia – General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin, the Commander of the Somali National Army [SNA] arrived in Awdheegle district, Lower Shabelle region on Monday.
His visit came hours after Al-Shabaab after an attack in the district that targeted a military base housing troops from the SNA’s elite Gorgor brigade, trained by Turkey.
The commander met with the officers of the Armed Forces in Awdheegle and complimented them for their resistance to the Al-Shabaab attack. As many as 60 fighters were killed.
He also inspected military positions in the Awdheegle district and praised the soldiers for standing their ground and repelling the pre-dawn attack by the Al-Qaeda-linked militants.
It is not the first time that Al-Shabaab has launched such an attack on government-controlled districts in Somalia. Last week, such an attack took place in the Qoryoolry district, causing losses.
The Awdheegle area in the Lower Shabelle region is one of the districts under government control, and the commander’s visit comes at a time when the country is at war against Al Shabab.
Awdheegle is a strategic agricultural town located 84 kilometers (52 miles) west of the capital Mogadishu. It fell into SNA’s hands a few years ago.
Al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government and the African Union mission in the country since 2007.
Somalia has been plagued by insecurity for years, with the main threats from the al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIS terrorist groups.
