At least 12 al-Shabaab militants were killed in a military operation carried out in the south-central part of Somalia, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said over the weekend.
A NISA statement said the offensive operation was conduct in Bur Saruur village, roughly 2 km southeast of the Ali-Gaduud area in the Middle Shabelle region, destroying hideouts and military equipment.
“The operation went as planned, while the remaining al-Shabaab militants are still being tracked down,” the intelligence agency.
The Somali government forces, backed by international partners, carried out the military campaign against al-Shabaab across the central and southern regions.
These joint operations have led to the recapture of several strategic positions and the destruction of insurgent hideouts and storage facilities as troops continue to pursue remaining fighters, the statement noted.
Early this year, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) said the Somali, Ugandan and African Union (AU) forces killed more than 30 al-Shabaab militants and injured several others during a joint operation in southern Somalia.
The al-Qaeda-affiliated group in southern and central Somalia, al-Shabaab, has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for decades, frequently targeting security forces, officials, and civilians.
AUSSOM backed by the Somali military have intensified their campaign against the insurgents whose stated goal is to topple the federal government.
MG/as/APA