Somalia army steps up ground battle against Al-Shabaab militants

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The war against Al-Qaeda linked group, the Al-Shabaab continues to gather momentum in Somalia following the latest operation which saw dozens of them killed in central Somalia, a region considered as a terror hotspot in the Horn of Africa nation.

Since March this year, a team from the Somali National Army [SNA], the African Union Mission Forces, and the US Africa Command have been unleashing attacks against the militants in central and southern Somalia, with several towns being liberated according to the federal government of Somalia.

In the process, hundreds of Al-Shabaab militants have been killed both in-ground combats and airstrikes, further degrading the team's ability to control some of the regions in question. Several top commanders have also either been killed or captured by the military.

General Odowa Yusuf Rageh, the Chief of Defense Forces in Somalia, on Sunday announced that the military had managed to capture several villages in Galgadud, a notorious Al-Shabaab hotbed in central Somalia. The region is found in Galmadug state and is prone to frequent Al-Shabaab raids.

During the raid, he noted, at least 28 militants were killed and several others injured in an operation that lasted for several hours. Several others who were injured are currently in the custody of the SNA forces who are operating within the region, he noted.

The military chief insisted that the war on Al-Shabaab can only be won if residents work closely with the military. He hailed Somalis for supporting military actions across the country, adding that "this is our country, we don't have anywhere to run to, let's cooperate".

There are close to 7,000 active Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia but the group is said to be losing grounds due to persistent military operations across the nation. By the end of next year, the mission keeping troops are expected to fully withdraw from Somalia in line with Somali Transition Plan.

GAROWE ONLINE