Sunday December 1, 2019
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Somali forces killed ten Al-Shabaab militants Sunday following uproar from farmers who had protested heavy taxation by the militant group.
A Somali Army official told reporters in Bardhere that the livestock farmers sought the help of the forces after the militants demanded hefty extortions in the name of zakawat.
The offensive which took place in the outskirts of Bardhere hit Al-Shabaab bases in Baar-Maalim village leading to the killing of ten militants.
African Union troops kicked out Al-Shabaab from the agricultural town of Bardhere in 2015 but the militants managed to make a come back and have been engaged in back and forth offensives with AMISOM and Somali forces.Meanwhile the US military in Africa, AFRICOM said Saturday it hit Al-Shabaab targets in Jilib, the headquarters of Al-Shabaab located in the Middle Juba.
“In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab terrorists in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia, on Nov. 30,” AFRICOM said in a statement.
It did not indicate casualties on the militants but said there was no civilian harmed.