March 21 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Somali Army announced on Tuesday the death of more than 30 suspected members of the Al Shabaab terrorist group, including several senior officials, after an operation carried out early in the day in the Middle Shabelle region, located north of the capital, Mogadishu.
The commander of the Somali Army Infantry Division, Mohamed Tahlil Bihi, has pointed out that the government forces “adopted rapid action against Al Shabaab terrorists who were preparing to carry out an attack.”
Thus, he has indicated that the clashes have resulted in the death of “more than 30” ‘juarij’, a term used by the authorities to refer to the group and which means “deviated sect”, as the Somali state agency has collected. news, SONNA.
“We are committed to destroying this terrorist network in the region and in the country,” he stressed, while denouncing that Al Shabaab has caused casualties among the civilian population during the fighting, although he has not given more details about it.
The clashes took place shortly before Mogadishu made the official announcement about the start of the “second phase” of the offensive against Al Shabaab, which will have the support of neighboring countries, which have promised to send reinforcements.
In addition, the governments of Somalia and the United States signed an agreement last week to increase collaboration when it comes to reinforcing the security forces of the African country, amid the increase in operations against Al Shabaab, linked to the Al Qaeda organization.
Somalia has increased offensives against Al Shabaab in recent months with the support of clans and local militias as part of a series of decisions taken by the president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who promised upon taking office to put the fight against terrorism at the center of his efforts to stabilize the African country.
