Sunday December 3, 2023
FILE PHOTO -
Mogadishu (HOL) - A joint military operation spearheaded by the Somali National Army, with international support, has successfully neutralized more than 60 al-Shabaab militants in the Hiiraan region's village of Hilow Ba'aad, eight kilometres southwest of Halgan. Somalia's state news agency says the strategic strike, conducted in the early hours of Sunday, is part of an ongoing campaign to rid the Hiiraan region of al-Shabaab insurgents, who have waged a violent war against the Somali government and its allies for over a decade.
Military officials report that the operation not only inflicted significant casualties on the militant group but also resulted in the destruction of several terrorist bases and the seizure of weapons. This mission gained added importance following the recent United Nations Security Council decision to lift a three-decade-long arms embargo on Somalia. This move is expected to bolster the capabilities of the Somali security forces through legal arms acquisition, enhancing their ability to ensure national security.
The operation's success coincides with the ongoing transition of security responsibilities from the African Union peacekeeping forces to the Somali National Army. This transition, part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), involves a scheduled drawdown of 3,000 troops and the handover of eight Forward Operating Bases by the end of 2023. It signifies Somalia's commitment to assuming full security responsibilities by December 2024.
The Somali National Army and its partners are determined to continue their offensive against al-Shabaab, aiming to eliminate the terrorist threat and restore peace and stability in the country.