AU forces intensify operations against Al-Shabaab in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A contingent of African Union Mission Forces [AMISOM] have continued crackdown against the Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia, targeting some of the supply routes which have been blocked by the Al-Qaida linked group in the country.

Soldiers serving in AMISOM from Burundi continued to rescue several towns and villages in North of Mogadishu where the militants have been going ballistic against civil servants, government officials, and security forces.

In a statement, AMISOM said the group is targeting Gololey and Ceel-gelow village in the north of Mogadishu as the Somali National Army [SNA] also joined the operations. The SNA troops are set to take over security responsibilities in the country once AMISOM leaves.

During the operation, the mission troops and their Somali counterparts managed to capture a number of Al-Shabaab fighters, who were immediately handed over to Somali police for further investigations. Those found culpable of wrongdoing will face the full force of the law.

"AMISOM Burundian troops based at Gololey and Ceel-gelow yesterday conducted a joint operation with SNA Force in Sayga forest. A number of Al-Shabaab fighters were captured and handed over to the Somalia Police for further investigation," AMISOM said in a statement.

"The operation was aimed at allowing free movement of Somali population on the Main Supply Route of Mogadishu-Jowhar," added the statement. Jowhar is the regional administrative capital of Hirshabelle state in Central Somalia.

Last week, an IED killed Yasin Tohow, a security official in the same spot where 17 civilians died April 14 in the Al-Shabaab explosion within Gololey. IED also killed 19 soldiers in two explosions on Jan 27, 2021, and May 26, 2020. The latter incident led to the execution of eight aid workers.

The village has been under constant attacks from the militants, who have been wreaking havoc in Somalia for the past 14 years. Somalia is classified as one of the terror hotbeds for the last decade, with the ISIS Somali faction also operating from the country.

Elsewhere, Deputy District Commissioner for Mogadishu's Deyniile District Abdi Mohamed Mohamoud was killed in a roadside bomb. The incident happened on Tuesday morning but no group is yet to take responsibility. Al-Shabaab is known for such attacks.

GAROWE ONLINE