At least 82 Al-Shabaab militants, including senior leaders, were killed and 19 others wounded in a series of airstrikes conducted in response to an early morning attack on Somali army bases in Lower Shabelle region on Thursday, according to the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).
The airstrikes targeted Al-Shabaab fighters near the Sabiib and Anole areas. Residents reported that militants launched coordinated attacks on army installations before dawn, prompting a swift aerial counter-offensive by Somali security forces.
“The military operation against the group, which began in the morning, concluded by evening on Thursday after the agency received intelligence that Al-Shabaab was attempting to destabilize security in Sabiib and Anole,” NISA said in a statement.
The agency warned civilians to avoid areas where Al-Shabaab fighters are known to hide, as they remain primary targets of government forces.
The airstrikes come just one day after a separate Somali National Army (SNA) operation in Sumadaale, Middle Shabelle, where intelligence-led raids eliminated a group of Al-Shabaab leaders and fighters gathered for a meeting.
