Somalia’s information minister said 17 al-Shabaab commanders were neutralised during security operations conducted over the past six months.
Daud Aweis made the announcement on Sunday in a statement posted on the US-based social media platform X.
He said the government remains firmly committed to defeating terrorism and restoring stability across the country.
Aweis added that fighters who renounce violence and enter state-run rehabilitation programmes would be granted amnesty.
Al-Shabaab, affiliated with al-Qaeda, has waged a bloody insurgency against Somalia’s federal government for more than 16 years.
The group has frequently targeted security forces, public officials, and civilians in attacks that have scarred cities and rural towns alike.
Since July last year, the Somali army has intensified operations against the militant network across several regions.
The campaign has been supported by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia and other international partners.
The African Union mission continues to play a key role in bolstering Somalia’s fragile security architecture.
In December, the United Nations Security Council renewed the mission’s mandate for another year under a United Kingdom-backed resolution.
The renewed authorisation extends the mission’s mandate until 31 December, reinforcing international backing for Somalia’s counterterrorism efforts.
