MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Minister of Internal Affairs of Somalia, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, said an airstrike destroyed the base of Al-Shabaab in Dumaye, which is near Harardere city.
In a Facebook post, Minister Fiqi said that the army completely destroyed the base that was serving as a main command center for the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group.
Dumaye is about 50 km north of Harardere district which was liberated early this year during military operation. It is an important area where Al-Shabaab has large bases.
In this area, the armed forces fought against Al-Shabaab with the local herdsmen, who opposed the orders, including a tax on their livestock imposed by the militants.
The airstrike comes as the minister and lawmakers are in the Harardhere district, in an effort to boost the morale of the SNA forces battling to liberate the entire Galmudug state.
Al-Shabaab began to expand in the areas where the troops left the Galgaduud region, which was a setback for the liberation operations in Galmudug. There were no independent sources verifying the minister’s claim.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said last night that the government forces have been reorganized and are returning to the vacated areas, including Elbur, 400 km north of Mogadishu.
