Monday May 27, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) — The Somali government announced the defeat of Al-Shabaab in Galmudug and Hirshabelle, forcing the militants to regroup in the Puntland region.
Somalia's Deputy Minister of Information, Abdirahman Yusuf Al-Addaala, told VOA Somali radio that the federal government launched an attack against Al-Shabaab, which was planning attacks on the people of Puntland. He noted that the operation targeted the top leaders of the camps where Al-Shabaab fighters were concentrated.
The federal government reported that Al-Shabaab was defeated in battles in Galmudug and Hirshabelle, and the militants have now gathered in the mountains of eastern Puntland.
Al-Addaala stated that the operation was a joint effort between federal government forces and those of the Puntland regional government. He added that the operation had been planned for some time.
"We have been closely monitoring their movements and organization. After their significant defeat in the southern regions of Hirshabelle and Galmudug, some of their groups gathered in Puntland, and we have been tracking their activities," said Al-Addaala.
The minister did not comment on whether senior Puntland officials were aware of the operation.