Somali National Army elite forces, backed by international partners, killed 20 Al-Shabab militants overnight operation in Mudug, a region in central Somalia.  The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism said the operation targeted al-Shabab militants at their hideout in Shabellow forest.
According to the ministry, troops killed over 100 al-Shabab extremists last week in one of the worst battles in a year-long campaign to clear out the militants who had fought government forces in near-daily strikes. Al-Shabab made no reaction on the new government offensive. The operation to retake control of the nation comes after Mogadishu asked the UN Security Council to postpone the current army withdrawal from Somalia. Al-Shabab is yet to comment on the latest onslaught by government force
Under the current schedule, some 3,000 troops of the African Transition Mission in Somalia were to leave the country at the end of September, in a continuing withdrawal meant to last until December 2024. Somalia called for a three-month technical pause, citing logistical challenges in
the event the second phase of exit was effected. Already, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia stopped the withdrawal of 3,000 soldiers who were scheduled to leave by September 2023.
The Al-Shabaab have been on the receiving end for the last 12 months, with over 3,000 killed during the first phase of operations against the group in HirShabelle and Galmadug states. The second phase is due to kick off in Jubaland and Southwest states of Somalia.
