Saturday March 25, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali government has stated that at least 3,000 al-Shabab militants have been killed, and another 3,700 have been injured since government-led military operations against al-Shabab began in several regions in August 2022.
According to a report by the Defense Ministry, about 70 towns and villages have been liberated from the hands al-Shabab by the Somali National Forces with the support of the locals.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Ministry of Information said that the Federal Government of Somalia is set to launch another major security operation in the capital, Mogadishu, to ensure that fugitive terrorists do not harm the city and its civilians in retaliation.
The government has indicated that the operation aims to protect the city and its civilians during this Holy Month of Ramadan and ensure people's safety is not disturbed.
"The country inches closer to the second phase of this military offensive against the terror group that has visited havoc, ruin, and pain on Somali citizens for the past decade," the statement continued. "The Federal Government of Somalia stands by its commitment to ensuring that the Somali National Army is carrying out the ongoing operations in strict compliance with its obligations under international humanitarian law, human rights law, Islamic law, and Somali customary rules of warfare."
Earlier this month, the national security adviser for Somali President Hussein Sheikh-Ali stated that the three neighboring countries of Somalia will send new troops to support Somali forces against al-Shabab in the next phase of military operations.
The adviser said that Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya will be sending troops in addition to the soldiers they already have serving as part of the African Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). He clarified that the new forces would not be part of the ATMIS mission.