Mogadishu, Somalia — Somalia's defence ministry said on Sunday that elite national army forces carried out a major overnight operation in the town of Jilib in the Middle Juba region, killing at least 15 Al-Shabaab fighters and capturing eight others.
In a statement, the ministry said the Danab special forces conducted a "planned and targeted" raid against Al-Shabaab positions in Jilib, a long-time stronghold of the Al-Qaeda-linked group.
The operation was executed at night and involved what the ministry described as a high level of coordination and tactical precision.
The defence ministry said the raid highlighted the growing operational capacity of the Somali National Army, particularly its increased use of air mobility, which it said has enabled forces to expand operations and strike militant targets "anywhere and at any time".
Somalia has intensified military operations against Al-Shabaab in recent years, backed by local militias and international partners, as the government seeks to dismantle the group, which has waged a deadly insurgency for more than 15 years.
The ministry reiterated that operations against Al-Shabaab would continue until the group is fully eliminated and no longer poses a threat to Somalia's security, stability and statehood.
