Somalia: Senior Al-Shabab commander, guards killed in army operation

HUDUR, Somalia - Somali National Army (SNA) on Wednesday killed four al-Shabab militants including a senior commander and recovered weapons during a military operation in Bakool region, southwest Somalia, officials said.

Ugaas Hassan Abdi, Information Minister for the Southwest State in Somalia, told Xinhua that the senior commander, Moalim Derow was killed alongside his three bodyguards.

"SNA and Southwest State forces killed a senior al-Shabab commander and three of his bodyguards at Lafoole location in Bakool region and recovered four AK47 rifles from the terrorists, no casualties on our side so far," Abdi said.

He added the military operations will continue in several areas in the Southwest State and aim at liberating the regional territory from al-Shabab militants.

Al-Shabab militants did not comment on the latest military progress made by the army and instead said its fighters carried out attacks on two army bases in Qansax-dhere and Afgoye towns in Bay and Lower Shabelle regions respectively in the same Southwest State overnight.

Southwest State is preparing to hold the presidential election on Nov. 17, despite security challenges and frequent attacks from the al-Shabab militant group.

The group killed 22 people and injured 36 others in Baidoa town, the administrative capital of Southwest in Somalia on Oct. 13 after two suicide bombers wearing vests exploded explosives in the center of the town.