Mogadishu: Somali authorities said on Saturday that nine Al Shabaab militants, linked to Al Qaeda, were killed in two military operations in southern Somalia.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Somali National News Agency (SONNA) reported that the first operation targeted a militant site in the Kunya Barrow area of the Lower Shabelle region, resulting in the death of six fighters. It further detailed that a second operation in the Togarey area of the same region led to the demise of three militants, who were discovered hiding in forested areas.
For more than a decade, Somali government forces have been engaged in a prolonged battle against the group, which has been responsible for numerous attacks that have claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians and security personnel. The group has frequently targeted government facilities and hotels, particularly in the capital, Mogadishu.