Somali army claims killing 17 al-Shabaab terrorists

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - The Somali army claimed to have killed 17 al-Shabaab terrorists in the country’s central region of Hiran.

In a brief statement issued on Twitter on Thursday, the army said that the terrorists were killed in counter-terrorism operations.

The military also liberated three villages from al-Shabaab during the operations, the statement said.

Hiran, a central province that borders Ethiopia, has seen increased military activities over the last few weeks, as the new Somali government has vowed to continue fighting the group.

On Wednesday, the US army in Africa (AFRICOM) said it conducted an airstrike in the same region, killing at least 13 al-Shabaab terrorists.

Africom said the airstrike was conducted in support of the Somali national army that has been conducting operations against the terrorist group in the region.