Somalia Kills 28 Al-Shabaab Fighters in Coordinated Strike
Abdirahman Abdi Mudallib, identified as a high-ranking al-Shabaab figure operating in Hiran, was eliminated in an air operation along with five other militants. The Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency confirmed Mudallib had been personally involved in planning and organizing terrorist attacks targeting the Buulo-burde and Jalalaqsi districts.
The second, larger strike was triggered after intelligence revealed an unusually large militant congregation. According to the agency, nearly 70 armed terrorists had assembled approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) south of the town of Masaajid Cali Gaduud, actively preparing operations designed to destabilize security across Middle Shabelle.
"Once confirmed, (agency) forces and their partners launched a targeted operation that eliminated 23 militants," the agency said in a statement.
The agency described both operations as part of a sustained campaign to eradicate what the Somali government terms the "khawaarij" — its designation for the al-Qaeda-affiliated group al-Shabaab — and to guarantee lasting security for the Somali people.
Al-Shabaab has waged a relentless insurgency against the Somali government for more than 16 years, routinely striking security forces, government officials and civilians in a campaign of destabilization that has resisted repeated efforts at suppression.
Since last July, the Somali army has intensified its offensive posture with the support of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and other international partners. AUSSOM's mandate was renewed for a further year by the UN Security Council last December, following a UK-backed resolution extending authorization through December 31 of this year.
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