Wednesday January 18, 2023
Somalia's government-led forces liberated El-Dheer, Harardheere, Galcad and Hiindheere towns in the Galgadud region of Galmudug State for the past few days.
"Al-Shabaab has lost ground and together with our Somali brothers, we will continue to rid these Khawarij terrorists from Somalia to give the population security, stability and peace, which are important to economic and social development," the SRCC emphasized.
Somali government forces, acting jointly with militias and regional forces from Galmudug and forces from the neighbouring region of Puntland, captured Harardheere, an al Shabaab stronghold on the Indian Ocean coast on Monday.
On Tuesday, the joint forces also took El-Dhere town in central Somalia's Galgadud region.
Harardhere was a major base for pirates hijacking merchant ships until 2011. It was later taken over by al Shabaab, which first rose up against the government in 2007 before pledging its allegiance to al Qaeda.
Since launching a major offensive last August, the government and allied clan militias have forced the militants from swathes of territory in central Somalia.