Tuesday August 6, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali security forces have captured a senior al-Shabab leader, Idris Mohamed Sheikh, following a security operation in the central region of Galgadud on Tuesday.
The federal government stated that Idris Sheikh, who was in charge of collecting bribes from civilians, was captured during an operation in the Marerguur rural area.
According to the statement, Idris Sheikh previously served as the group's leader in the Middle Shabelle region before government forces liberated the area several years ago.
"This bloodthirsty leader also operated in the Bay and Bakool regions and was one of the closest individuals to the Khawarij leader Ahmed Diriye. Government security agencies are determined to bring the Khawarij criminals to justice for harming the Somali people," the statement read.
The capture of Sheikh comes just days after al-Shabab attacked a beach in Mogadishu, killing 40 people and wounding 140 others. Al-Shabab controls large parts of southern and central Somalia. The group is affiliated with al-Qaeda and has waged a brutal insurgency for nearly 20 years against the UN-backed government in Somalia.