The governor of the Hiiraan region, Ali Jeyte Osman, has announced the launch of a new anti-al Shabab offensive in areas south of Beledweyne, the capital of the Hiraan region, which began on yesterday.
The operation, which was led by the Somali military, successfully liberated many areas along the Shabelle River. The army took over without facing any resistance after al Shabab withdrew their militants.
Operations against al-Shabaab had been halted in the Hiiraan region for the past two months, but local and government forces have liberated many areas since August.
The Somali military has also recaptured large swathes of land in the central states of Galmudug and Hirshabelle from the militant group.
Last week, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced the initiation of the second phase of military operations against the extremist group Al-Shabab. This new phase aims to eradicate the militant group from its remaining strongholds.
