Somali, African Union forces intensify operations in Al-Shabab hideouts

MOGADISHU, Somalia - African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali troops attacked several locations used as hideouts by al-Shabab militant groups in the southern region, an official said.

The AU mission said the joint forces conducted a dawn attack on Mishaani and Doonka daafeedow enemy locations near its military base in Beledamin where several al-Shabab militants were killed.

"These precise offensive operations in our area of responsibility, which we jointly conducted with the Somalia Security Forces, are part of a series of ongoing combat operations aimed at further degrading al-Shabab capabilities," William Nabasa, commander of Ugandan troops serving under AMISOM said in a statement issued on Friday evening.

Nabasa said al Shabab had been using hideouts in Mishaani, Camp, and Doonka daafeedow locations to attack AMISOM bases as well as to terrorize civilians in the Lower Shabelle region.

The AU mission said the allied troops also hit al-Shabab hideout in Adimole on Feb. 12 in another on-the-spot operation.

Nabasa said the troops have identified, successfully detonated, and recovered a number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by the insurgents on local roads and along main supply routes, targeting the troops and civilian vehicles.

He said the joint operations are planned to flush out enemy pockets, securing main supply routes linking towns, cities, and key population centers within AMISOM's area of responsibility, and consolidating overall security.