Joint military operations in Somalia continue to mount pressure on the Islamist militants, Al-Shabaab. On July 7. At least two militants were killed in Awdiinle village of Bay region, Somalia. The strategic Awdiinle is a village in the Baidoa District, Bay Region, Somalia. It is situated 25 km west of Baidoa on the main road from Baidoa to Luuq in the Gedo Region.
Local reports indicate that a contingent of SNA 60th Division, supported by allied troops conducted an operation in the village following on intelligence tip-off from the locals. According to SNA 60th Division Commander Gen. Mohamed Sheikh, two militants were killed and several others were captured in the joint operation. The operation comes after another similar one in the same locality that saw at least five militants killed in SNA-led operation.
According to Sheikh, the operation targeted militants’ hideouts in the Bay region, which has lately seen uptick in Al-Shabaab’s activity. Over the past few weeks, Al-Shabaab has increased activity in Bay region targeting on SNA and it allied AMISOM troops in IED, landmine attacks and also suicide vehicular missions.
Al-Shabaab continues to exercise effective control over large areas of southern and central Somalia and attacks from the group are frequent across the country, including in Mogadishu. The group often targets government officials and military infrastructure in a bid to topple the UN-backed government and impose its own strict interpretation of Islam in Somalia.
Locals called upon to continue cooperating with security assets from across the country, in an effort to secure the Horn of Africa nation that has been battling Al-Shabaab insurgency for over a decade. Human Intelligence (HUMINT) is key to defeating the militants, hence, locals cooperating with security actors will help Somalia government to counter violent extremism with ease as compared to the current situation where it is “hard to ascertain who is Al-Shabaab member and who is not.
