...... the personification of Somali state failure...members were killed in a heavy fighting in the south of Mudug region.
The Minister of Information told the news hounds that al-Shabaab was defeated in the bloody battle that took place on Wednesday in the forest areas near the Shabeelow settlement.
During the presser, the information minister said bases and military equipment belonging to the Death Eaters had also been destroyed in the joint offensive in the area.
In addition, he said that the army is currently engaged in the last operations to eradicate al-Shabaab from the Mudug region in central Somalia, which falls under the Galmudug
...a semiautonomous region in central Somalia, bordering Puntland on the north. Galmudug is not trying to obtain international recognition as a separate nation, but rather considers itself autonomous within the larger Somali federalism, for what that's worth...
state.
According to him, another operation was underway in the forest of Mahaday district, where he said that leaders and other al-Shabaab fighters have been isolated for 10 days by SNA.
Aweys added that 19 leaders were killed in the ongoing operations in Galmudug and HirShabeelle, who were among over 1,600 Death Eaters who died in a two-month assault.
A big shot of the al-Shabaab, who is named Khalif Gambi, was injured in the army offensive, according to Somalia’s information minister, who spoke to the local media.
At least 30 pro-government fighters and dozens of al-Shabaab
The festivities on Wednesday in the Shabellow forest were the latest demonstration of the uphill task Somali troops and allied snuffies face in their effort to root out al-Shabaab, which has been waging an insurgency since 2006.
A military campaign launched last year by the army and allied clan-based militias in central Somalia seized significant swathes of land from the
Although government forces have captured several major towns, al-Shabaab has been able to reclaim some of the territory it lost and conduct deadly raids on military bases.
The Somali forces initially drove back the al-Shabaab fighters in the Shabellow forest on Wednesday but were then surprised by sniper fire, Major Ahmed Nur told Rooters.
"We killed al-Shabaab like flies, but when we tried to take the weapons from their dead, hidden snipers took out our men," he said.
He said 30 government soldiers and allied snuffies were killed, while 55 al-Shabaab fighters died. A local clan elder, Abdullahi Mohammed, said 33 pro-government fighters and "dozens" of al-Shabaab were killed.
Nur added that 10 of his colleagues were maimed on Thursday when a helicopter — believed to be operated by one of Somalia’s foreign allies — mistakenly bombed them.
The current phase of the offensive against al-Shabaab has focused on central Somalia. The government has promised a second phase that will go after the group in its strongholds in the country’s south, where analysts say the group will be even harder to defeat.
Somalia publishes names of Al-Shabaab leaders killed, injured and surrendered
[ShabelleMedia] The government of Somalia has published the names and the roles of Al-Shabaab commanders killed in the latest military operations in central regions.
The statement disclosed some defectors who held tighter positions in Al-Shabaab. Among them is Khalif Gambe, who served as head of the group’s Jabhad wing in Galmudug state.
Gambe is on the list of several commanders captured alive after being wounded in the fighting between Al-Shabaab and Somali government forces in the Galmudug state.
As many as 19 Al-Shabaab leaders including more than 4,600 members died in the two-month operations which became the highest casualties inflicted upon the militant group.
Read the full list:
Khalif Gambe – surrendered
Shuuke Ali Dheeg – Killed
Salad Ali Geedi – Killed
Nur Dek – surrendered
Mohamud Bashir – Killed
Olol Ali Guled – Killed
Isse Barre – Killed
Hassa – Killed
Maslah – Killed
Abdullahi H. Qodah – Killed
Abdullahi Ilow – Killed
Dabashe – Killed
Shu’ayb – Killed
Bagah – Killed
Asod – killed
Muhajir – Killed
Saylici – Killed
Sheikh Abdi – Killed
Ahmed Mohamed Herow – Killed
Yonis Shafi’i – Killed
Abdijabar – Killed
Nur Ga’al – Surrendered
Shuuke Ali Dheeg – Killed
Salad Ali Geedi – Killed
Nur Dek – surrendered
Mohamud Bashir – Killed
Olol Ali Guled – Killed
Isse Barre – Killed
Hassa – Killed
Maslah – Killed
Abdullahi H. Qodah – Killed
Abdullahi Ilow – Killed
Dabashe – Killed
Shu’ayb – Killed
Bagah – Killed
Asod – killed
Muhajir – Killed
Saylici – Killed
Sheikh Abdi – Killed
Ahmed Mohamed Herow – Killed
Yonis Shafi’i – Killed
Abdijabar – Killed
Nur Ga’al – Surrendered