Hiiraan Online
Friday February 2, 2018
Mogadishu (HOL) - The Somali government on Friday said its military and allied AMISOM troops killed a senior member of Al-Shabaab during a military raid the Bay region.
Diinsoor District Commissioner, Ibrahim Mohamed Noor said troops raided a compound in Rahoole village on Thursday, killing the Al-Shabaab commander.
Noor said the commander was in charge of Al-Shabaab in Rahoole village and it's surrounding areas. Noor declined to release the name of the commander.
The slain Al-Shabaab ringleader was also said to be responsible for most of the attacks near Baidoa.
Fighters captured alive
The commissioner also noted the allied forces captured three of his comrades during the operation.
The Somali government has intensified operations against Al-Shabaab since October last year.
Noor vowed that his administration would lead the operations to flush out Al-Shabaab from the district.
" We will keep on hunting down Al-Shabaab fighters in this district until the group is annihilated from the region," said Noor.
Hit and run attacks
Al-Shabaab has been carrying out hit and run style attacks against Somali and AMISOM troops in the region. The group has switched to guerrilla tactics since the group lost control of the Somali capital in 2011.
last month, heavily armed Al-Shabaab fighters attacked a military base in Daynuunay village which lies 30km north of Baidoa town.
The group claimed to have seized the base and killed several soldiers, a move downplayed by authorities of Southwest state.
Fighters deserting to Al-Shabaab
Since the defection of the group's former spokesman, Mukhtar Robow last year, dozens of Mukhtar Robbow members surrendered to the Somali government.
Early last month Al-Shabaab Amniyat Unit commanders identified as Osman Abdi and Ali Unsow in Bay region had defected to government forces.
The Somali government has previously offered amnesty to Al-Shabaab fighters who denounce the group's ideology, with some being offered senior positions in the country's security services.