Somali Army Destroys Al-Shabaab Base in Central Somalia Amid Crackdown

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Somali National Army (SNA) staged a successful attack against the Al-Shabaab militants, military officials said, noting the significance of the destruction of the base used by the group to launch attacks against security forces and innocent civilians.

According to officials, the military destroyed the base at Biyo Cadle, a rural area near El Buur district in central Somalia’s Galgaduud region. This comes amid an ongoing intensive crackdown against the militants who are predominant in central and southern regions.

The heavily fortified base is used by the militants to wage ground attacks against civilians within the vicinity of the village, officials said. The officers said the operation was in response to increased Al-Shabaab activities within the region.

Multiple casualties were reported but the exact figure was not immediately disclosed by the officers. However, there are reports that several militants were killed during the operation with weapons seized in the process.

With support from the US Africa Command and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, the local forces have managed to make huge strides by liberating several strategic towns within the country.

The raid in the ministry base came hours before Puntland forces in the north also managed to kill the ISIS commander responsible for directing drone attacks using explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

According to reports, the commander is a foreign national who was killed during an operation around the Lugta-Huraanhur and Togga Raq-raq areas of the Al Miskaad mountains in the Bari region, which has been the battlefield for the last two months.

Officials did not disclose whether additional ISIS fighters were eliminated in the operation but noted that Puntland forces had expanded their control in the area, prompting the militants to retreat. Puntland forces have killed more than 200 ISIS militants throughout the operation.

Somalia is facing increasing cases of terrorism, with the US recently warning of a possible attack within Mogadishu, the capital city. But the security teams have heightened operations across the country for some time, foiling several attacks in the process.

GAROWE ONLINE