A resident says a suspected drone strike targeted Al-Shabaab hideouts in the vicinity of Gal'ad town during intensified ground military operations.

The drone fired missiles on El-Hassan Ali and Bud Bud areas which are located on the outskirts of Gal'ad, a small but strategic town in the Mudug region under Galmudug State.

The details of the casualties inflicted on the militants in the targeted bases are still unclear as the remote areas are inaccessible to reach out to the witnesses for further information.

The aerial bombardment came just before the Somali troops and local clan militia took over the control of Gal'ad and the next coastal town of Harardhere, which are now fully liberated.

Somalia's defense minister Abdulkadir Nur Jama confirmed the capture of Harardhere to the media on Monday. The fall of Harardhere dealt a major blow to the Al-Shabaab group.

The US military is providing vital assistance to partner Somali troops, including airstrikes that play a big role in the war against Al-Shabaab, which is on Washington's terrorism list.

Biden administration returned the American forces back to Somalia in May 2022 days after the election of President Hassan Sheikh, to resume the counter-terrorism operations.