Mogadishu– The Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud gave an authorized instruction to the National Army Command to immediately respond to the growing threat posed by Al- shabab militant group by deploying massive soldiers to districts in Middle Shabelle region. The Somali President gave 72-hours ultimatum to the military command in order to prevent Alshabab militant group that are terrorizing the local residents in Middle Shabelle region.
The Somali Head of State held separate meetings with traditional leaders to discuss with the urgent situation that the residents are faced with. He called on the elders to organize the local forces to take up the arms and liberate Alshabab from the province. He also urged that the local forces should support the national army. The president’s ultimatum was that the Somali National Army (SNA) must defeat the enemy and the bring the terrorist organization to an end.
The Army Chief, who is currently on an inspection tour to Middle Shabelle region, and the president is in Mogadishu, held separate meetings with senior officers of the SNA, politicians, senior officers of the local clan fighters forces, and the traditional leaders that reside in Hirshabelle region. Some of the participants of the meeting joined remotely through teleconference. They unanimously decided to prepare for a large scale assault.
It is also agreed that SNA and the local clan fighters will launch a large scale attack which is aimed at driving out Alshabab from Hirshabelle region. Alshabab senior leader, Abu Ubayda, in a speech he delivered two days ago, confessed that Alshabab was defeated in the war and is on the brink of total collapse. He said that Somali National Army backed by local clan forces launched an unprecedented attacks against Alshabab fighters.
From that day, Alshabab fighters started a new mission which is aimed at boosting the moral of its soldiers that are on the brink of collapse. Alshabab also commenced to terrorize locals residing in districts which are under its control. Hirshabelle is experiencing the drought, and the rain has not come yet for a long time. Ramadan has started. Alshabab launched attacks against Somali National Army (SNA) stationed in the frontlines in Middle Shabelle region, The Somali National Army crossed from Jawhar to Bal’ad in the west and have successfully liberated key districts from Alshabab fighters.
The Somali army blocked the main route Alshabab used to cross to Central Somalia regions which put a lot of pressure on the group. The group’s plan is believed to put a lot of pressure on the gov’t which will eventually force the militant to flee from SNA and vacate the districts under its control. Alshabab sent soldiers to parts of the districts in Middle Shabelle region who launch hit and run attacks in order to stop the advance of the SNA in the province.
Airstrikes were conducted targeting Alshabab hideouts in Biyo-Adde and El-Baraf districts. Combat vehicles belonging to Alshabab were destroyed. 50 Alshabab members including senior leaders and fighters were killed in the wake of the operation. The gov’t planned to launch large scale attack on Alshabab fighters stationed in parts of Middle Shabelle region. The mission is to put the terrorist organization to an end.
