Somalia pushes up military operations against Al-Shabaab

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has exuded confidence that the country is almost winning the war against Al-Shabaab militants, noting that the Al-Qaeda-linked group has suffered immense losses in central and southern parts of the Horn of Africa nation in recent months.

At Ethiopia on Sunday, Barre, who is attending an official event, paid tributes to soldiers who have lost their lives in the war but maintained that their sacrifice was worth it, given the series of defeats the group has faced in the last couple of months across the country.

Barre, who was picked by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to head the new government, disclosed that the group has lost former territories up to over 150 kilometers across the country, adding that he's confident the terrorists will be defeated completely.

"We may have lost many heroes in these process (countrywide anti-Al-Shabab militants operations), but in the past three months only, terrorists have been eradicated from an area covering 150 KM in central and southern Somalia," the Prime Minister said.

For the last couple of months, the Somali National Army with assistance from the US Africa Command, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, and the local militia, has managed to liberate several towns in central and southern Somalia, some of which were strong bases of the group.

On Sunday, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced that the group has been targeted ideologically, warning that businesses that could be found capable of giving money to the militants will have their practicing licenses canceled by the federal government.

Barre's sentiments also come as Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur and National Army chief General Odawa Yusuf Raggeh landed in Baidoa town of Southwest State to discuss with the region’s leadership and SNA commanders on the ground for pushing up military operations against Al-Shabab.

Several countries have pledged support to Somalia, which is keen to eradicate the militants completely from the country. Al-Shabaab militants have been fighting to topple the fragile UN-backed federal government of Somalia, which is facing stability changes.

GAROWE ONLINE