Thursday November 24, 2022
Mogadishu (HOL) - At least 20 al-Shabab militants were killed during fighting between government forces backed by local clan militia forces in El-Dhere Burale village, located on the border between Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle region, on Thursday.
Residents told HOL that the four-hour-long battle began after al-Shabab fighters attacked an army base in the village.
Mahas district governor, Mumin Mohamed Halane, said the allied forces repelled the al-Shabab attack while inflicting heavy casualties on the militants.
Al-Shabab has attacked the armed forces' position in Eldhere for the second time in 24 hours, as the militants attempt to retake the village, which was a strategic area for the militants.
The Somali government on Wednesday announced that the country's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), backed by Somalia's international partners, had conducted an operation against the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group al-Shabaab, killing more than 49 terrorists.
According to Somalia’s information ministry, the operation targeted al-Shabaab fighters conspiring to hurt the Somali people in the village of Bulo-Madino, in the Lower Shabelle region.