Sunday April 14, 2024
Beledweyne (HOL) - The Somali army forces, supported by international partners, conducted an airstrike near the Buulaburte district of the Hiiran region on Saturday night, killing several al-Shabab militants.
The drones targeted group members gathered in the Jicibow area. While the government officials did not specify the exact number of militants killed, they confirmed that several members of the group were eliminated in the attack.
Last week, government forces, alongside local residents and international partners, launched an air and ground offensive in the Jicibow and Helabanan areas, approximately 25 kilometres away from the Buulaburte district. This operation resulted in the deaths of several militants.
The Hiiran region has been a focal point for operations against al-Shabab over the past two years, despite political disputes between Hirshabelle and politicians in the Hiiran region affecting these operations.
Nonetheless, newly appointed Minister of Internal Security, Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartag, has pledged that the federal government will eradicate al-Shabab militants from the regional state by April 2025. Fartag emphasized that military operations in Hirshabelle and Galmudug will be concluded in the coming months.