Over 48 al-Shabaab terrorists killed in airstrikes in central Somalian Hirshabelle state

By Mohamed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - More than 48 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in airstrikes on the central state of Hirshabelle, Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said on Tuesday.

The spy agency said the raids took place in Darul-Nimca and Al-Kowthar in the Middle Shabelle region and Berayabal in the Hiran region, where 17 terrorists were killed and their military vehicles were destroyed.

The second operation targeting the terrorists took place in Darul-Nimca, resulting in the deaths of 19 and the destruction of their vehicles.

On the same day, a third operation targeted the al-Shabaab in the Beera Yabaal, area, leading to the death of 12 terorrists, NISA said in a statement.

It said senior terrorist members were among those killed in the airstrikes without specifying their names and positions.

Al-Shabaab on Tuesday launched a predawn attack in several villages in the Hiran region. The state-run news agency SONNA reported that the army backed by local militias thwarted the attacks.

Somalia has been plagued by insecurity for years, with the main threats emanating from the terror groups al-Shabaab and ISIS.

Since 2007, al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS)—a multidimensional mission authorized by the African Union and mandated by the UN Security Council.