Security Brief
The Al-Qaeda aligned Al-Shabaab dealt a heavy blow after 11 of its fighters were killed in a military operation in the outskirts of the contested Bakol region of Somalia on June 7.
According to military sources, joint troops conducted a mop-up operation in Abal and other neighboring villages where Al-Shabaab still maintain sporadic activities.
Corresponding local reports indicate that Islamist Al-Shabaab terrorists clashed with military troops and there was a fierce exchange of gunfire. Government forces reported to have killed 11 terror operatives and reported that other fled into the bushes with gun wounds.
On the other hand, the terrorist group through its pro-media claimed responsibility of the attack saying that the Government forces suffered casualties following the clash.
Despite the concerted military operations against Al-Shabaab terrorists in Bakol region, the jihadist group still hold swathes of rural areas in the region. Bakol region has been an area of contestation between the government troops, its allied partners and the Al-Shabaab.
Citing the vegetation and the geography of the region, Al-Shabaab takes advantage of these two factors by conducting surprise ambushes and planting landmines targeting on SNA and AMISOM.
