Reports confirm the Somali Military Command deployed troops in mountain areas surrounding Yasooman settlement in Hiiraan province.
This comes after Al-Shabab militants on Sunday night captured Aboorey settlement which is nearby Yasooman settlement which is under Buuloburde administration.
Somali National Army (SNA) backed by Ma’awisley forces carried out relentless attacks against Al-Shabab militants who are trying to resist the attacks from the gov’t troops in order to settlement to remain under their control.
Officers of the Somali Army say that the Somali troops reinforced their defense positions in Yassoman settlement in order to prevent Al-Shabab militants to move into the mountain areas surrounding Yasooman settlement.
Al-Shabab captured Aboorey settlement so as to reinforce their presence in Yasooman settlement and to take control of the main road linking Yasooman settlement to Maxaas district.
The reason the Somali Military reinforced its defense lines is that if Al-shabab militants move into the mountains surrounding the settlement, it will be very difficult for the government troops to drive out the militants from the area.
Reports confirm that Al-shabab elements are currently stationed in the mountain areas surrounding Yasooman settlement in the East of Hiiran region and areas in Beera-yabaal and Jicibow.
Aboorey settlement is a large area where fierce fighting underway and Al-Shabab cannot hide. It is also easy for war planes to conduct airstrikes targeting Al-Shabab militants.
The Somali gov’t fully understands that the sighting of Al-Shabab elements in the mountain areas surrounding Yasooman will be a constraint to the second phase of liberation operations which are aimed to flush out Al-Shabab fighters from Hirshabelle districts.
Somali troops and Ma’awisley forces did not stop the relentless attacks against Al-shabab militants unless they drive out the militants from Aboorey and its environs.
