Somalia raises to 75 the members of Al Shabaab killed in operations in the center of the country

Sep. 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Somali Army has raised this Monday to 75 the number of members of Al Shabaab killed in the operations carried out since Saturday against the terrorist group in the Hiiraan region (center).

The head of the Somali Army, Odoua Yusuf Rage, has indicated that the operations have taken place with the support of local residents and militiamen and has pointed out that “there are multiple detained terrorists.”

“The operation is still going on, as planned,” he told the Somali news agency SONNA, while praising the work of the military in the fight against the terrorist group.

He also stressed that the Somali troops have taken control of nearly 30 areas in their latest operations, including the town of Jau, considered strategically important as it lies between Guriel and El Bur.

Somali military sources put the number of suspected Al Shabaab members killed in the offensive at more than 200, after Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud highlighted “a firm push” in anti-terrorist efforts.

Somalia is facing an increase in the number of attacks by the Islamist militia Al Shabaab, linked to the terrorist organization Al Qaeda, both in the capital and in other areas of the south of the country, which has led the president to promise a reinforcement of security operations to deal with the threat.