MOGADISHU — Somalia’s elite Danab Special Forces carried out a planned military operation in Kurtunwaarey district in the Lower Shabelle region, killing 14 Al-Shabaab fighters and destroying militant infrastructure, the Ministry of Defence said on Monday.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, the operation targeted Al-Shabaab members who were based in positions within the district, an area that has witnessed repeated security operations against the Islamist militant group.
The government said 14 militants were killed during the raid, although it did not provide details on whether Somali forces suffered any casualties.
Military officials also reported the destruction of facilities allegedly used by the group to store weapons, explosive materials and other equipment employed in planning and carrying out attacks against civilians and security forces.
The operation forms part of ongoing efforts by the Somali government and its security partners to weaken Al-Shabaab’s operational capabilities and expand state control in areas previously influenced by the insurgents.
“The operation is part of continuous measures aimed at degrading the group’s capacity and strengthening security and stability in liberated areas,” the ministry said in its statement.
Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-linked insurgent movement, has been fighting to overthrow Somalia’s internationally recognized government for more than a decade and continues to carry out bombings, assassinations and armed attacks across the country.
The Somali government has intensified military offensives against the group in recent years, combining operations by national forces, local militias and international partners in an effort to reclaim territory and disrupt the militants’ networks.
Authorities reiterated their commitment to sustaining operations against Al-Shabaab until the threat posed by the group to Somalia’s population and institutions is eliminated.
