Sunday July 31, 2022
Mogadishu (HOL) - The President of the Somali regional government in Ethiopia, Mustafa Mohamed Cagjar, said 600 Al Shabab fighters were killed during the latest clash on the Somali border.
Cagjar made the comments while addressing the Somali regional parliament, who raised questions about the casualties in the fighting.
President Cagjar said they prevented a severe threat and successfully repelled Al Shabaab fighters after ten days of hard fighting. He said the high death toll experienced by Al Shabaab fighters is a sign that they are winning in the battle against Al Shabab.
"We believe that 600 Alshabab have been killed in the operations going on in recent days. The people should know that we are at war," said the president.
Mustafa Cagjar said they are determined to defeat Alshabab and prevent them from spreading their ideology in the Somali region of Ethiopia.
"They aimed to enter the area, bring in a large army, and disperse into smaller groups. But, we did not give them that opportunity. It is a mission they have failed," said President Cagjar. Ethiopian News Agency reported on Saturday that three Al-Shabaab leaders, including Fu'ad Mohamed Shangole, were killed by a joint Ethiopian Defense Force and Somali region special forces operation in the Aato area.
Shangole, the subject of a $5 million bounty by the US government, was reportedly participating in the frontline fighting, according to pro-Al-Shabaab media.
Al-Shabaab has denied that Fuad Shangole was killed during Saturday's clashes, and there has been no independent confirmation of his death.
The president acknowledged that Al Shabab's attack was due to the lack of secure borders. However, he said his government would take steps to create a buffer zone.