The US government confirmed that the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Al-Shabaab in Somalia has lost a third of its territory as a result of military operations by the Somali government.
According to Larry André, the U.S. ambassador to Somalia, who spoke with VOA, the group lost numerous towns and villages as a result of clashes with Somali military.
“Somali-led offensives have restored Somalia’s sovereignty to 1/3 of the territory formerly misruled by al-Shabaab,†Larry André said. “Ending al-Shabab’s oppression is one step further toward Somalia’s full revival.â€
The Somali government in support of local clan militias launched operations against Al-Shabaab last year.
The operations took place in Middle Shabelle, Galgaduud, Mudug and Hiiraan regions.
Currently the rebels are almost non existent central Somalia bar from guerrilla attacks they wedge while under rags and are on their heels in Southwest and Juballand states as the second offensive against the militants commences.
During the operations, the government claimed to have killed more than 3,000 al-Shabaab fighters and wounded 3,700 others.
The Somali government has launched a “total war†against al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group al-Shabab that is seeking to topple the western backed government.
The Somali government has made significant gains aimed at degrading the group since last year September when military operations were launched in central and southern Somalia.
The Somali National Army and allied local clan militias have toppled the group and removed them from more than 70 villages according the Somali Government.
The Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents have been waging a war against the government of the troubled Horn of Africa nation for 15 years and control large swathes of territory in the country.
The group has carried out several attacks in the mainly Muslim country since Mohamud took office in May, ending a protracted political crisis that had distracted from the fight against the jihadists.
