The Somali Defense Ministry announced on Friday evening that over 100 terrorists were killed and several others captured alive following a week-long military operation against the al-Shabaab group in the Lower Shabelle region.
The Somali National Army, in collaboration with the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, liberated the strategic town of Bariire from al-Shabaab control during the recent operations.
Forces are now conducting crucial clearance operations in the town and its surrounding areas, seizing a significant cache of weapons and military supplies, according to the ministry’s statement.
This military success comes just days after the Defense Ministry revealed at least 70 al-Shabaab terrorists had been killed by the Somali army and African Union peacekeepers.
The military also admitted that two SNA soldiers were killed and 12 others were injured during the intense fighting in the same area last Monday.
Bariire is a strategic agricultural town that is situated approximately 73 kilometers southwest of the capital, Mogadishu, making its liberation a key military objective.
Al-Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for over 16 years, regularly targets security forces, government officials, and civilians.
