Somali army says it killed over 130 al-Shabaab terrorists

By Mohamed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - More than 130 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed and several others wounded when the Somali National Army, backed by local security forces, conducted an operation against the group in the Lower Juba region, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

The security operation, lasting more than 24 hours, also “successfully” thwarted an attack launched by the group on the town of Kudhaa.

“The joint operation inflicted a decisive defeat on the enemy, resulting in significant losses, with more than 130 militants killed and a further number wounded, following direct combat in which national forces courageously countered the assault,” the ministry said in a statement.

It said that military vehicles and weapons abandoned by the fleeing terrorists were also seized during the operation.

“Security in Kudhaa and its surrounding areas is now fully under the control of the Somali National Army -- particularly the Danab Special Forces and the Jubbaland Security Forces, who remain on full alert and continue stabilization operations to prevent any residual threats,” the statement added.

Kudhaa is a strategically important, small island town in Somalia's Lower Juba region, located about 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the coastal town of Kismayo, the administrative capital of the state of Jubaland.

The al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for more than 16 years, frequently targeting security forces, officials, and civilians.

Since July last year, the Somali army, with the support of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and other international partners, has stepped up operations against al-Shabaab.

The AU mission's mandate was renewed by the UN Security Council in December for another year, with a UK-backed resolution extending its authorization until Dec. 31, 2026.