Somali security forces, supported by international partners, have killed more than 200 al-Shabab militants, including senior leaders, in a week-long operation in Jubbaland and Galmudug regional states.
The Ministry of Defense spokesperson, General Abdullahi Ali Aanod, said that the joint operations took place on the 14th and 15th in the Weel Maaro area of Jubbaland region, where 100 militants were killed. Another operation in Ali Qura resulted in the deaths of 50 militants on Wednesday morning.
The remaining militants were killed in separate operations.
This marks the second time this year that the Somali government has announced the killing of over 200 militants. In March, Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Daud Aweis reported that more than 200 al-Shabab fighters, including senior leaders, were killed in a three-day operation in Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and Jubaland states.
The Somali government forces have been escalating their attacks against al-Shabab since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an all-out war against the militants last year.
The government has been struggling to assert control over large parts of the country, which have been under the control of various armed groups, including al-Shabab, for years.
Al-Shabab has been fighting to overthrow the Somali government and establish a strict Islamic state in the country for more than a decade. The group has been responsible for numerous attacks in Somalia and neighboring countries, including the 2013 Westgate shopping mall attack in Nairobi, Kenya, which killed 67 people.
The Somali government has been working with international partners, including the United States, to combat the group. The U.S. has been conducting drone strikes against al-Shabab targets in Somalia since 2011 and has provided training and equipment to Somali security forces.
The killing of senior leaders is a significant blow to al-Shabab, which has been facing increasing pressure from the Somali government and international partners. However, the group is still believed to have thousands of fighters and control over large parts of the country, particularly in rural areas.
