MOGADISH, Somalia – At least 41 Al-Shabaab militants, including senior members, were killed in a series of airstrikes carried out by Somali forces in cooperation with the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) on Thursday.
According to a NISA statement, the first strike targeted a gathering of 29 al-Shabaab fighters in the Boozhareli region of the middle shovel, effectively eliminating the group. A second strike in the Jambalur area of the lower shovel killed 12 more militants.
“These operations are part of an ongoing effort to reduce the capabilities of the Al-Shabaab Group,” Nisa said in the statement, explaining that the airstrikes are causing a major blow to extremist groups. The agency also warned civilians, urging them to avoid areas where al-Shabaab militants are known to be hidden as security forces continue their operations.
Air strikes will appear similarly to the Hiiran amid rising military activity in the mid- and lower Shovel regions, following the rise in al-Shabaab attacks on Somali Army Bases. Extremist groups have recently escalated attacks on government forces, prompting a stronger response from the Somali forces.
The Somali government has vowed to continue its attacks on al-Shabaab with the aim of dismantling the remaining bases of groups across the country.
