By Horn Africa News Staff

Mogadishu – Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), with support from international partners, launched a successful overnight operation on Sunday targeting Al-Shabaab militants in the central Hiiraan region, killing at least 15 fighters, officials confirmed Monday.

According to NISA, the operation took place in the Gayacad junction near the town of Mabaax and was executed in three separate raids, aimed at disrupting a militant mobilization effort originating from the districts of Aadan Yabaal and Ceel Cali Axmed in the Middle Shabelle region.

Intelligence sources revealed that the militants were regrouping in preparation to reinforce encircled Al-Shabaab units operating in parts of Hiiraan. The security forces, acting on precise intelligence, moved swiftly and engaged the fighters in remote, forested areas where they had attempted to hide.

“All three raids were successful. Fifteen militants were killed, and five others sustained critical injuries,” a Somali security official told Horn Africa News on condition of anonymity.

The Somali government confirmed that operations in the area are ongoing, with security forces now pursuing a number of fleeing militants. The offensive is part of a wider military campaign to weaken Al-Shabaab’s grip on rural regions in central and southern Somalia.

Somali authorities have repeatedly pledged to intensify pressure on the Al-Qaeda-linked group, which has been waging an insurgency for over a decade. The group remains a primary threat to national stability, carrying out frequent attacks against government institutions, civilians, and international targets.

NISA hailed the latest operation as a “strategic success” and said it demonstrates the growing capability of Somali forces to carry out intelligence-led, targeted strikes with minimal civilian casualties.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here