Somali security forces, backed by international partners, conducted a security operation in a small village in the Hiiraan region, where al-Shabaab militants, including leaders, were reportedly meeting.
Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Information, Abdirahman Al-Adala, stated that the operation occurred in the Qoob Yahaas village of the Hiiraan region. However, he refrained from commenting on the number of casualties.
“The army and their allies dismantled the location, neutralizing the militants who had assembled there. They also destroyed two vehicles carrying the leaders of the Khawarij who were present. We will provide information about the casualties,” he said.
A day ago, Somali security forces backed by international partners killed more than 160 al-Shabab militants in four-day operations carried out across the country. Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Daud Aweis Jama said the terrorists were eliminated in separate operations in HirShabelle and Southwest states on July 28-31.
Aweis told a weekly news conference that more than 100 militants were killed in the Galgaduud region in central Somalia, while over 60 others were eliminated during the military operations in El Dhun in the Southwest region.
The operations coincide with the government’s final preparations for the second phase of its campaign against the al-Shabaab group.