Somali Government Says 18 Al-Shabaab Militants Killed in Military Operation

The Somali government confirmed the death of 18 members of the militant al-Shabaab movement, including commanders, in a military operation conducted by the Danab Brigade, a highly trained commando unit of the Somali National Army, in Galguduud province, in the central region of the country.

The Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Abdirahman Yusuf Al-Adala, said in a statement to the Somali National News Agency (SONNA) that the operation was conducted on Sunday in the Budbud area of Galguduud province.

According to SONNA, the national army continues to advance on the few remaining areas held by al-Shabaab militias, where the second phase of the military operation to rid the country of the remnants of terrorism is expected to begin soon.

On July 13, the Somali News Agency reported that at least 17 al-Shabaab members were killed in a joint operation carried out by the Somali army special forces and regional forces in Jubaland. The security operation took place near Wilmaru village in the southern Lower Juba province.

Earlier, Somali state television reported that eight people, including six children, were killed after a vehicle they were traveling in drove over an explosive device planted by al-Shabaab terrorists. This happened on the road between Buloburde District and Gisebo in Hiiraan province, according to the deputy commissioner of Buloburde District, Osman Gedi.

For several years, Somalia has been the scene of a bloody conflict between government forces and al-Shabaab militants, affiliated with the terrorist organization al-Qaeda. The terrorists seek to control the country in the Horn of Africa region and rule it according to their strict interpretation of Islamic law.

The Somali government has recently intensified its military operations against the militant movement's strongholds.