The Somali National Army (SNA), supported by local militias, killed at least 20 al-Shabaab militants after repelling an attack on military positions in the central Hiraan region, the Defense Ministry announced late Sunday.
The ministry stated on X that “Nearly 20 militants were killed, others fled. Pursuit ops are ongoing.”
They reaffirmed their commitment to defending Somalia and eradicating al-Shabaab.
The SNA and allied militias successfully fended off the assault in Hiraan, a region that has seen intense fighting against the al-Qaeda-affiliated group since 2022.
Al-Shabaab, however, claimed responsibility for the attack, asserting on its affiliated website Al-furqaan that it had targeted military positions and killed 33 soldiers.
In a separate development, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) reported conducting joint operations with international partners in the Mabah area of Hiraan and the Aden Yabaal district of Middle Shabelle.
NISA stated these operations inflicted “casualties and injuries on militias and leaders of the Khawarij,” a term the Somali government uses for al-Shabaab.
Somalia has faced persistent insecurity, primarily from al-Shabaab, which has been waging an insurgency against the government for over 16 years and frequently targets officials and military personnel.