MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali National Army Ground Forces Commander General Sahal Abdullahi Omar rallied troops in the town of Aadan Yabaal on Thursday after attacks.
Speaking to the soldiers, he has vowed to intensify the fight against Al-Shabaab militants as the military seeks to reclaim territory from the militant group linked with Al-Qaeda.
Omar urged them to uphold their national duties and expressed strong confidence in their capacity to defeat the enemy. He also called for respectful treatment of civilians in areas freed from Al-Shabaab control, underscoring the importance of winning hearts and minds in the campaign.
“The Somali people have great expectations of you, and you must deliver decisive victories,” Omar told the troops, as the army pressed its offensive against the al Qaeda-linked insurgents who have waged a decades-long insurgency in Somalia.
His visit comes after Al-Shabaab launched attacks on several areas in the Middle Shabelle region, with the latest raid targeting Bal’ad town near the capital, Mogadishu.
However, the Somali army is struggling to maintain control of newly liberated villages in the HirShabelle and Galmudug states amid a surge in Al-Shabaab attacks, complicating efforts to secure and stabilize the regions.
