Tuesday October 24, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires A.I. Shane Dixon and Colonel David J. Haskell, the Joint Special Operations-Somalia Commander in Mogadishu on Monday.
During their meeting, they discussed the vital security partnership between Somalia and the United States, particularly in the ongoing efforts to eliminate terrorism in Somalia.
According to Villa Somalia, the two U.S. officials commended President Mohamud and the Somali Armed Forces for their successes in recent military operations, which have led to the removal of terrorists from many strategically essential areas over the past year.
President Mohamud emphasized the need for technical and military support from international partners to complete the operation against al-Shabab terrorists effectively.
He stressed that the people and the Somali government deserve increased military assistance, given that the terrorists pose an international threat that can only be eradicated through regional and international cooperation.
Just two days ago, Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Daud Awis Jama announced that the Somali National Army (SNA) had killed 1,700 al-Shabab militants, including 57 senior leaders, and wounded hundreds more in military offensives across the country over the past year.
Minister Jama noted that the troops, in collaboration with local forces and international partners, had successfully liberated 120 villages, districts, and major towns from al-Shabab and destroyed 73 militant bases and a significant amount of weapons and military equipment.