al Shabab

Somalia’s Information Ministry said Saturday the country’s military is targeting al-Shabab militants in the Galmudug region of central Somalia and is making progress in eroding the group’s operational effectiveness.  In a coordinated military operation, the Somali National Army, or SNA, supported by Galmudug State forces and pro-government local clan militias, killed 30 al-Shabab militants and injured dozens more, according to a government statement released Saturday.  “The Somali National Army killed 30 al-Shabab militants and injured 40 others after conducting an operation at the Qeycad location in the southern Mudug region for the past 48 hours,” the statement reads.  Somali authorities say the operation was conducted after the army received intelligence regarding al-Shabab militants’ maneuvers in the region.  The government says three of its soldiers were injured during the operation.  Witnesses in Qeycad, near Ba’adweyn town in the Mudug region, said an intense gunbattle between the two sides lasted several hours, inflicting substantial damage on the militants.  “The fight lasted for hours, and the terrorists were heavily damaged, and the Somali National Army took over the area, and the group’s strongholds in the area were also destroyed during the operation,” the government statement said.  During the engagement, several al-Shabab commanders surrendered to the SNA. Among those were two significant militant leaders, “Mohamed Bashir Muse and Madey Fodey,” according to the government report.  This military action follows an incident two days prior when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vest outside a crowded restaurant in Mogadishu, resulting in the deaths of at least seven people. The operation also occurred concurrently with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s official visit to Kampala, Uganda, where he aimed to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance regional security cooperation with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.  “The president will discuss with his counterpart, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations between Somalia and Uganda, fostering enhanced regional security and stability cooperation,” a brief Somali National News Agency announcement stated.  As Somalia navigates ongoing diplomatic disagreements with Ethiopia — particularly regarding a maritime agreement signed with Somaliland, a breakaway region — its government has sought closer ties with Egypt and Eritrea, both of which have historical disputes with Ethiopia.  Earlier this month, leaders from Egypt, Somalia, and Eritrea convened in Asmara, reinforcing what analysts describe as an emerging “axis against Ethiopia.”