Somalia has vowed to heighten war against the Al-Qaeda associated Al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen fighters operating from various prefectures of Somalia.
Somalia National Army (SNA) supported by allied troops is engaged in counter-terrorism operations especially in Hiran prefecture of central Somalia targeting Al-Shabāab al-Mujāhideen Cells in an effort to liberate towns and villages under the group’s control.
In the last two weeks, Somali military supported by locals have been engaged in deadly clashes with Al-Shabaab fighters in Hiran and Galgadud regions. The army liberated a number of villages in these two regions following fierce fighting with the group’s fighters.
Late last week, the Somali cabinet approved counter-terrorism operations aimed at eradicating the Al-Shabaab group in several parts of the country. The Somali cabinet resolved to strengthen the national security policy to guide the ongoing security operations against the Islamist insurgents.
A coordinating committee on the national strategy of eradicating terrorism to step up anti-al-Shabaab operations expected to formed. The ministers would transform preventing and countering violent extremism (PCVE) program into a robust national agency aimed at defeating terrorists’ ideology.
The ministers underscored their undivided resolve to form a task force for coordination and fulfilling anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism acts (AML/CFT) law, and successful counter-terrorism strategies aimed at stemming down the militant’s financing sources.
