Mogadishu, Somalia — The Somali government on Tuesday confirmed the killing of dozens of Al-Shabaab extremist militants.
"More than 50 members of Al-Shabaab were killed in a military operation in the lower Juba region," Deputy Information Minister Abdirahman Yusuf Al Adala told the Somali news agency, SONNA.
He added that 20 others were captured alive during the fourth day of offensive operations at Muse-Haji, Malaylay, Turdho, Baxar-saafka and other areas in the lower Juba region.
Since Saturday, the army has been carrying out military operations in the villages and areas of lower Juba, killing and arresting many members and leaders of the movement.
Al Adala said that for the fourth consecutive day, the Somali National Army with the support of Jubaland State forces continue to hunt Al-Shabaab militants in the forests of the lower Juba region.
The Somali government has accelerated its offensive operations against the Al-Shabaab, which it has been fighting for more than a decade. In recent months, the government forces gained ground in its war with the movement, mainly in central Somalia.
On Monday, SONNA said 30 militant members of Al-Shabaab were killed in the Jamaame area in lower Juba and along the river. It added that the army also captured 10 others who were involved in public disruptions in the Bar Sanguuni area.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had declared "total war" on the thousands of Al-Shabaab extremists who have controlled parts of the country and carried out devastating attacks.
Somalia has lately witnessed a surge of the militants' deadly attacks against military and civilian targets. The African Union force is set to withdraw from the country and hand over security responsibilities to Somalia by the end of 2024.
Last month, the United States and Somalia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of up to five military bases for the Somali army's Danab Brigade.
Meanwhile, Somali Interior Minister Ahmed Macalin Fiqi held talks in Mogadishu on Tuesday with high-level delegations from India, led by Sureh Kumara, a senior officer at the Foreign Ministry.
The officials discussed a range of topics, including cooperation between their countries and the progress that the Somali government has made in security and development projects.
