Following on increased Al-Shabaab activities in southern regions of Somalia, joint forces continue to mount pressure to avert already gains being made by the Al-Qaeda aligned militant group.
In the recent past weeks, joint local and foreign troops have conducted successful operations against Al-Shabaab, regaining control of a number of towns and villages in Lower Juba, southern Somalia. Regions of southern Somalia remains fluid with government forces supported by foreign allied troops battling for control of these strategic regions.
In the latest offensive in the region, Somali National Army (SNA) backed by Jubaland state forces killed six (6) Al-Shabaab militants on July 18, in a counterterrorism operation on the outskirts of Kismayo, military sources confirmed on Sunday.
According to Aden Mohamed Ibrahim, commander of Jubaland state army, the joint operation conducted by SNA’s 43rd Unit and Jubaland state army started when the forces got intelligence from the public (HUMINT) of Al-Shabaab increasing presence in the area.
The joint forces raided Koban and Bula Haji villages where a fierce firefight ensued, SNA and Jubaland state forces overpowered the militants, killing six of them, Ibrahim said. The joint forces also captured many villages and recovered ammunition during the operation.
On July 12, the SNA backed by Southwestern state forces killed seven (7) Al-Shabaab militants and injured 5 others in another operation conducted in Bardale town in the southern region of Bay.
