MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that SNA soldiers — backed by local clan militias — have killed upwards of 130 Al-Shabab militants and wounded dozens more in different operations in the country’s south and central regions.
According to a statement, the Somali National Army carried out operations in Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and Jubaland State, where the joint forces ransacked dozens of militant bases.
“The Somali National Army with the help of the local clan forces killed over 130 Al-Shabab terrorists and recovered weapons and supplies of medicine and foodstuff from the militants in different parts of Somalia,” it said.
A military campaign launched last year by the army and allied clan-based militias in central Somalia seized significant swathes of land from the militants early on but has registered mixed results of late.
Although government forces have captured several major towns, al Shabaab has been able to reclaim some of the territory it lost and conduct deadly raids on military bases.
The current phase of the offensive against al-Shabaab focuses on central Somalia. The government promises a second phase that will go after the group in its strongholds in the country’s south, where analysts say the group will be even harder to defeat.
Meanwhile, the AU mission in Somalia resumed the drawdown of 3,000 African Union peacekeepers after a three-month pause due to “several significant setbacks” on the battlefield.
