Somalia says it liberated key villages from al-Shabaab terrorists

By Mohamed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Somalia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday the national army has liberated several key villages in the southern Lower Shabelle region from the al-Shabaab terrorist group.

The operation targeted the villages of Maalinka, Baladul Amiin, Omar Beere and Balow, according to a ministry statement.

It said troops dismantled militant hideouts and “successfully cleared improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted along public roads, which had been intended to harm civilians.”

The ministry urged citizens to continue working with the armed forces to “defeat terrorism and ensure the security and stability of the nation.”

The Somali National Army (SNA) has stepped up its campaign against the al-Qaeda-affiliated group in Lower Shabelle over the past two months, retaking a series of strategic towns and villages.

On Aug. 18, the army’s elite Danab (Lightning Brigade) unit carried out an operation with air support near the town of Awdhegle, killing more than 100 militants, according to the Defense Ministry.

It said the forces, backed by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), also liberated Bariire, an agricultural hub located 73 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of Mogadishu.

Since at least 2007, al-Shabaab has waged a deadly campaign against the Somali government and international forces.