The Somali National Army (SNA) has killed 1,700 militants, including 57 senior leaders, during a series of military offensives conducted over the past year.
The government’s announcement, made on Saturday, highlighted the efforts of the SNA, local forces, and international partners in liberating 120 villages, districts, and major towns from the grip of al-Shabab.
The operations also resulted in the destruction of 73 militant bases, as well as an amount of weapons and military equipment.
Daud Aweis Jama, the Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, expressed his satisfaction with the achievements of the Somali troops.
“More than a thousand kilometers of territory have been reclaimed from the Khawarij within a year, and in addition, 120 areas and districts have been wrested from al-Shabab. The pursuit of the group is ongoing,” Minister Jama said.
Minister Jama further revealed that Abdullahi Nadir, one of the co-founders of al-Shabab, was among the senior leaders killed in a successful operation conducted in collaboration with international partners last October. Nadir, identified as al-Shabab’s chief prosecutor and a potential successor to the group’s ailing leader, Ahmed Diriye, played a crucial role within the organization.
Harardhere, once a notorious pirate hub, held strategic importance as the largest town in Galmudug still under the control of the militant group until January of this year. By reclaiming Harardhere and Galcad, which is located approximately 375 kilometers north of Mogadishu, the government has further solidified its hold on central Somalia, signaling the progress being made in dismantling al-Shabab’s strongholds.
Since assuming power in May 2022, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been actively engaged in a robust campaign against al-Shabab militants. Working from Dhusamareb since early August, President Mohamud has demonstrated his commitment to eradicating the threat posed by the Al-Shabaab group and restoring stability to the nation.
