Somali National Army chief General Odowaa Yusuf Rage complimented the security operations of the Somali army, which freed Al-Shabaab from many areas in the Hiiraan region.
General Odowaa, currently visiting the Hiiraan region with the Minister of Defence and lawmakers, has promised the government forces will secure the liberated areas from Al-Shabaab militants.
Odawa told residents of the newly-liberated towns that the military would not allow the towns to fall back into the hands of Al-Shabaab.He urged residents to work with government forces and provide officials with information about Al-Shabaab to make it hard for them to return.
The Somali army recaptured numerous new areas from al Shabaab in the Hiiraan region, where the severe battle between al Shabaab and government forces has been ongoing for several weeks.
Earlier this month, the government forces captured several small villages in the Mataban and Mahaas districts of the Hiiraan region, including Bukure, Lassaban, Oomad, Bagda, Qabno and other small towns.
