Somalia inflicts heavy losses on Al-Shabaab, 80 killed

Somalia’s national army has killed 80 Al-Shabaab leaders and militants in a preemptive operation across the Lower Juba region, the government confirmed in a statement on Monday.

The operation targeted the areas of Buulo Haji, Baar Sanguni, and Harboole.

The Ministry of Information said the operation followed recent Al-Shabaab attacks on among others, the army and Jubaland Dervishes bases in the Lower Juba region.

The military, anticipating the assault, successfully "demolished the militants", the government statement read.

The statement adds that the army seized a large cache of weapons from the militants, including RPGs, BKM, and AK-47s.

"Al-Shabaab suffered a significant defeat today and were taught a lesson that they will never forget in Harboole, Baar Sanguni, and Bulo Haji, in Lower Juba. Many thanks to the Somali National Army and the Dervishes of Jubaland for this victory," said Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, the Somali Defense Minister.

The government further reported that troops are currently collecting the bodies of slain militants across the battlefields.

Simultaneously, they are pursuing fleeing Al-Shabaab members.

The government has pledged to eradicate Al-Shabaab, a group it accuses of attacking the nation's religion, people, and sovereignty.

It has emphasized that this effort will be undertaken in collaboration with the public and international partners.

Following President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's re-election, he declared total war on Al-Shabaab and his administration prioritized liberation and security.

Within a set timeframe, effective operations liberated numerous areas previously held by the militant group.

An ideological, economic, and media campaign was launched to counter Al-Shabaab's influence.

To boost the morale of the soldiers and local forces fighting Al-Shabaab, and to assess the living conditions of people in the liberated areas, President Hassan Mohamud visited the front lines and liberated areas.

In recent weeks, the President has emphatically ruled out any possibility of dialogue with the Al-Shabaab group.

He has consistently asserted that the government will ultimately prevail over the militant group, claiming that Al-Shabaab is now in its final stages.

The Al Shabaab group has also caused significant deaths and damage to property in neighbouring Kenya and Uganda in recent times, and specifically the attack at Dusit hotel in Nairobi which left 21 dead.