Al-Shabaab targets army base in newly liberated town in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Barely a week after the liberation of the strategic town of Gal'ad in central Somalia, the Al-Shabaab militants waged an attack on Friday morning in the town, targeting members of the Somali National Army [SNA] who camped within the vicinity to restore order.

Earlier this week, Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur confirmed capturing of Gal'ad and the neighboring Haradhere town in Somalia's Galmudug state 2 days ago, noting that the militants suffered casualties following intense gunfire exchanges with the Somali National Army.

According to the group's proxy media houses, the militants returned to the town on Friday morning where they opened fire randomly, killing several government troops. The militants did not give exact numbers of those killed but were quick to note that a number of military vehicles were seized.

The Al-Shabaab usually target members of security forces in their Forward Operating Bases, innocent civilians, and senior government officials. The news about a fresh attack at Gal'ad town has since been independently verified, with reports now indicating that a top commander of the elite Danab Special Forces was killed.

Major Hassan Mohamed Osman alias Hasan Tuure was among the top officers who were coordinating attack on Gal'ad. He becomes the third high-ranking military officer to die in the hands of Al-Shabaab in as many months, joining Jamal Ahmed, the Beledweyne's CID boss who was killed in Halgan Jan 16, and Col Abshir Shataqey the commander of SNA's 3rd battalion who was killed in Hawadley this week.

Tuure was the deputy DANAB commander and led several successful operations that saw the liberation of key areas from Al-Shabaab, including Galcad, where he was killed today.

For the last couple of months, the government of Somalia has been actively pursuing the militants through the Somali National Army, the US Africa Command, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS], and the local militia. Hundreds of Al-Shabaab terrorists have been killed in the process.

On Thursday, a military court in Somalia convicted Mohamed Abdinur Jirow alias Dr. Fanah of al-Shabaab membership and sentenced him to death for his role in deadly attacks in Mogadishu. He told the court he masqueraded as a neurologist and an army officer to cover his work with al-Shabaab according to audio that was played in court.

Mohamed Abdinur Jirow was said to be an agent w al-Shabaab’s explosions department; who used aliases - Mohamed Dhere, Khalid, and Mustaf Aato. "I covered the case of Ilkacase, an AS operative who worked as a college teacher as cover,' he said. Ilkacase was executed in November 2020.

The government has invested more in the fight against Al-Shabaab with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud projecting that by 2023 the country will be liberated. He said the militants have lost significant territories in rural central and southern Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE