Somalia: Elite Forces Eliminate Key Al-Shabaab Bomb Chief in Internationally Backed Operation

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Security forces in Somalia have killed a senior Al-Shabaab commander as the war against the group enters a critical phase, with full support of the international partners, key among them the US Africa Command and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

The Special Forces carried out an overnight operation at Lower Shabelle, killing a senior commander who had been orchestrating bombings across the region. He is also accused of propelling insecurity across the Horn of Africa.

Hassan Siidow Hussein was described as the coordinator of the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) targeting innocent civilians and security forces. His activities also limited transportation across the country.

Hassan was tracked through extended surveillance before being eliminated him three armed escorts in the Cumar Beere area, officials said. His death was described as a major milestone in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants.

The Somali National Army, alongside the US Africa Command and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), has been fighting the Al-Shabaab group for the last two decades.

However, the group’s guerrilla tactics have made it almost impossible to defeat the group, which has a strong base in central Somalia and southern regions. But the group’s activities have been limited to certain areas following the most recent operation.

The Somali National Army has been criticised for failing to tackle the militants effectively, almost relying on the foreign troops whose mandate is almost expiring. The government, however, is optimistic about the possibility of defeating the group.

GAROWE ONLINE