Rédaction Africa Links 24 with khaliil
Published on 2024-03-19 21:11:57
The Somali government recently announced a successful military operation against the extremist group al-Shabab in the Lower Shabelle region, resulting in the death of nearly 40 militants. The operation was carried out by the Somali National Army with the support of international partners, likely through airstrikes from countries backing Somali forces.
The operation specifically targeted the villages of Baldooska and Baghdad, located about 30 kilometers north of the capital city, Mogadishu. While the exact date of the operation was not disclosed in the government’s statement, local sources indicated that it took place on a Monday evening.
According to the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, the operation was launched in response to intelligence reports indicating that al-Shabab militants were regrouping in the area to launch attacks against the civilian population. However, al-Shabab’s affiliated media outlets have refuted this claim, alleging that the strikes resulted in the deaths of 18 civilians, including seven children, in Baghdad village. They even went as far as publishing purported images of the deceased individuals, although the accuracy of these claims could not be independently verified by VOA.
In response to these allegations, Deputy Information Minister Abdirahman Yusuf al-Adala stated that the government was investigating the reports of civilian casualties. Furthermore, a regional official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to media restrictions, disclosed to VOA Somali that both ground and air operations had been ongoing in the area since the aforementioned Monday evening.
Notably, both Turkey and the United States have been actively engaging in airstrikes against al-Shabab insurgents. However, a spokesperson for AFRICOM clarified to VOA that the United States was not responsible for the latest strike in Somalia, with the most recent American-led airstrike dating back to March 10. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, al-Shabab’s media outlets have alleged that a Turkish drone was behind the strike in Baghdad village.
As tensions escalate between the Somali government forces and the al-Shabab militants, it is crucial to monitor the situation closely and assess the impact of these military operations on both security in the region and the civilian population. The ongoing conflict underscores the persistent threat posed by extremist groups in Somalia and the continued efforts to combat terrorism in the country.
Source: VOA
Image Source: WardheerNews (https://wardheernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Alshabab.jpg)
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