SNA troops liberate Al-Shabaab from new areas in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The war against Al-Qaeda linked group; the Al-Shabaab intensified on Monday after more government troops were deployed to central Somalia, a region that is fairly under the administration of the militants, who are seeking to topple a fragile UN-backed Somalia government.

Armed with armored vehicles, the Somali National Army [SNA] troops descended on the militants in Basra village which lies between Bal'ad and Afgoye around 30 kilometers north of Mogadishu, the Somalia capital. The region is a notorious hideout for Al-Shabaab militants.

The military vehicles moved to the region in numbers and are said to be planning a final assault against the Al-Shabaab as the government races against time to showcase the ability of the army to assume security responsibilities should the foreign troops leave the country as scheduled under the Somali Transition Plan [STP] in 2021.

Afterward, fighting erupted in the village as both parties exchanged gunfire, and they continued for the better part of the day. The military, however, has not made any announcement with regard to the liberation of Basra or any casualties with regard to Monday's heavy gunfight against the militants.

The ambush might have been informed by frequent Improvised Explosive Devices [IEDs] usually planted along the Mogadishu-Bal'ad highway which is usually used by humanitarian teams and the military. For some time now, the militants have often unleashed against the military on the highway, officials said.

Monday's ambush also comes at the time the government is determined to completely neutralize the militants, especially in central and southern Somalia. Last week, the military announced victory against Al-Shabaab in Lower Shabelle despite the fact that the region is yet to be fully liberated.

The African Union Mission Forces are key in backing the SNA operations in Al-Shabaab held territories, a move that has further strengthened the team during ground combats. Also in the operation is the US Africa Command team which usually aides the Somali military through frequent airstrikes.

Osman Dhisow Dhuubow, the governor of Beledweyne town in Hirshabelle confessed that despite the tough government regulations, the Al-Shabaab militants are still allowed to mingle with their families. The militants, he said, "visit their wives without fear just as they do in Mogadishu".

His claims could elicit sharp reactions from the foreign troops who are determined to eliminate the militants. It's not clear why authorities would spare the militants, who have wreaked chaos in the country for a couple of years, and whose main targets are security forces, government officials and at times, innocent civilians.

Despite efforts to defeat the militants, the US Africa Command recently termed the group as a "dangerous entity" and called for concerted effort to degrade them. The command vowed to work closely with the Federal Government of Somalia in the fight against violent extremists.

GAROWE ONLINE