Army commanders tour central Somalia ahead of Al-Shabaab operations

MOGADISHU, Somalia - High-ranking members of the Somali National Army [SNA] have visited various Forward Operating Bases [FOBs] in Central Somalia, with the military set to start the second phase of operations against Al-Shabaab, which have been wreaking havoc in the Horn of Africa nation.

On Friday, the senior military officers toured Galgaduud, a region that has been under persistent Al-Shabaab raids, leading to several operations targeting the group. The Somali National Army is combing central Somalia before the second phase of operations against the group commences in Jubaland and Southwest states.

General Abdullahi Aden Hussein, the Deputy Commander of the Land Forces, the new Commander of the 21st Division of the National Army Abdi Salat Ali, and his immediate predecessor Hassan Jamici inspected army bases in Wisil and Bahdo and visited the region to assess the situation.

During the familiarization trip, the commanders confirmed that the combing mission will start in Elbur, Wabxo, Hiiraan West, and Galhareri before the troops move to Jubaland and Southwest states where the second phase of operations will commence.

Somali National Army has been collaborating with the international partners key among them the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] and US Africa Command, who have been instrumental in combating the militants.

The first phase of operations against the group targeted the HirShabelle and Galmadug states of Somalia, leading to the death of 3000 militants. The operation, the Federal Government of Somalia said, also left about 3,500 militants fatally injured.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has reached out to Kenya, Djibouti, and Ethiopia for a backup, with the country projecting that by December 2024, most areas would have been liberated from the Al-Shabaab, who are fighting to topple the fragile UN-backed federal government of Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE