Somalia's National Consultative Council has decided to continue and intensify a major military offensive against the al-Shabaab terrorist group, which began last August with the aim of liberating areas controlled by the militants and dismantling their financial network.
The council, which brings together the leaders of the country's federal government and regional states, convened in Dhusamareb, the capital of the Galmudug State, on August 26-27 to discuss further steps in the fight against the terrorist group.
Following the meeting, the presidency said in a statement that the council members agreed to coordinate the operation and "align it with the national counter-terrorism strategy" to end al-Shabaab's long-running insurgency. The officials decided to form a "joint command structure" to manage the ongoing military offensive against the militants.
They also emphasized the need to "sustain the gains on the battlefield" and rebuild security in the reclaimed areas. The council directed all government agencies to provide basic governance and public services to communities in the liberated areas, highlighting the importance of the "hard-won gains for the Somali people."
Moreover, the council agreed to accelerate preparations for the second phase of the offensive against al-Shabaab to liberate the remaining areas in Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle.
Al-Shabaab is a Somalia-based jihadist militant group affiliated with the terrorist group al-Qaeda. Since 2007, it has been waging a violent insurgency to overthrow the Somali government and establish Sharia law in the country. Although al-Shabaab fighters were driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, the group continues to carry out attacks against civilian and military targets.
The Somali government has recently stepped up its efforts to combat the terrorist group. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared a "total war" that includes ideological, financial, and military fronts, vowing to defeat the group by the end of 2023.
*Al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab are terrorist groups banned in Russia and many other countries