The President of South West Regional State, Abdiasis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, announced on Saturday the commencement of the second phase of anti-al-Shabab operations in South West State.
President Laftagareen announced during a high-level preparation meeting for the anti-al-Shabab operations in Baidoa. The meeting was attended by the Somali Correctional Forces, Gen. Mahad Abdirahman Adan, the Armed Forces Deputy Commander, the Armed Forces Court chairman, and other military commanders, lawmakers, and ministers.
“We are no longer defending ourselves against the al-Shabaab group; instead, we must move forward. From today, the war will commence. There will be no more complacency in the major towns. We must flush out the enemy, just as the people of Hirshabelle and Galmudug are fighting against the terrorists,” declared President Laftagareen.
The President emphasized the need for unity in the fight to eliminate the group, which is now in its final stages. “The people and the government must stand up to fight against Al-Shabaab. There is no room for self-defence anymore.”
In July, al-Shabaab militants imposed a weeklong blockade on the southwestern town of Baidoa. The Islamist group disrupted the flow of supplies in and out of the area, exacerbating the hunger caused by a record drought and insecurity.
In August 2022, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched a “total war” against al-Shabaab. In the first phase, Somali forces focused on the central regions of Hirshabelle and Galmudug, supporting local clans that rebelled against al-Shabaab. The Somali government’s second-phase military operation, Black Lion, will concentrate on the West and Jubaland states in the southern part of the country.
