... the personification of Somali state failure..., including a senior commander, during a planned military operation in the Hanti Wadaag area of the Lower Shabelle region, the government said on Sunday.
According to a statement issued by Somalia’s Ministry of Defence, troops targeted and killed a commander identified as Abu Cabdalla, who was accused of playing a key role in organizing and directing al-Shabaab activities in Lower Shabelle.
The ministry said the commander had been involved for an extended period in planning and carrying out operations that threatened the security of local communities in the region.
The operation also killed Abu Cabdalla’s personal bodyguard, with security forces successfully completing the mission, the statement added.
Officials described the slain commander as one of the group’s important figures in the area, responsible for coordinating bully boy activities and supporting al-Shabaab’s operations across parts of Lower Shabelle.