Thursday October 12, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - The Somali National Army (SNA), backed by international partners and local clan militia forces, driven out al-Shabab militants from their hideout in the Cid-Cidka forest in the Mahaday district in the Middle Shabelle region on Wednesday.
In recent weeks, members of the al-Shabaab group had taken refuge in the forest following a series of attacks and airstrikes. Drones targeted the militants while government forces and local militia conducted ground operations in the group's bases. The military officials stated that the coordinated effort forced the militants to flee their forest bases.
Photographs captured from the forest area reveal numerous holes dug by the group. This strategic hiding tactic was one of the reasons why it took a considerable amount of time to dislodge al-Shabab from the forest.
Last week, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the Somali National Army (SNA), backed by pro-government militia Ma'awisley, ousted al-Shabab fighters from Cali Fooldheere Forest in the central region.
The ATMIS said the successful joint operation, which inflicted heavy casualties on the militants, followed days of an all-out ground and artillery offensive, which concluded Sunday to flush out al-Shabab militants from their hideout in Cali Fooldheere Forest.