Over 1,600 Al-Shabaab militants killed in Somalia - report

The Somali National Army and the government-allied Ras Kamboni Brigade militia wave the Somali national flag from the former control tower of the airport in Kismayo, southern Somalia, Oct. 2, 2012.Stuart Price / AP

MOGADISHU, Somalia - At least 1,650 Al-Shabaab militants have been killed in the last few months following military operations within Somalia, the government announced on Wednesday, adding that most of the casualties were recorded in central parts of the Horn of Africa nation.

In a statement issued by the state, the government said 550 others were critically injured during the operations, particularly in Galmadug and HirShabelle states. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been coordinating operations within central regions for the last two months.

Among those killed, the government said, were 19 Al-Shabaab commanders responsible for planning and executing attacks across the country. Also, the government said, at least three top commanders surrendered to the Somali National Army [SNA]. The claims could not be verified independently.

Meanwhile, a Somali regional official is calling for an extension of the deadline set for African Union, or AU, troops to leave Somalia, citing al-Shabab attacks and “unstable” political developments, VOA reports.

Mohamud Sayid Aden, the deputy president of Jubaland state, a region where Kenyan and Ethiopian troops operate, said the withdrawal of AU forces from Somalia should be extended until December 2025.

“I say this because the men who are fighting us, the Khawarij [militants], have had plenty of opportunity to reorganize and collect lots of funds,” he said during an interview with VOA Somali.

“Khawarij,” which means “a deviation from Islam,” is a term Somali government officials sometimes use to describe al-Shabab.

“They came up with suicidal plots, prepared entire units determined to kill themselves,” he said, adding that he fears the planned December 2024 withdrawal of the last AU troops from south-central Somalia could trigger political instability and disrupt military operations.

Somalia called for a technical pause of withdrawal, a move which put on halt the exit of about 3,000 soldiers in September. Already, 2000 soldiers withdrew from the country in June 2023 in compliance with the Somali Transition Plan, in which it is anticipated that the soldiers would permanently exit by December 2024.

The government of Somalia believes an additional 90 days before the second phase exit would give security teams humble time to reorganize themselves. Al-Shabaab has been targeting security teams and this could be detrimental to security teams, analysts say.

“What would be imperative is to have a review of the timing that Somali forces take over security of Somalia and to have a thorough discussion about the quality of the army, equipment, and the responsibilities at national and regional levels,” Aden said.

But Hussein Sheikh Ali, the National Security Advisor and one of those who wrote to the United Nations Security Council asking for a technical pause of withdrawal, said the government is still fully committed to ensuring the full exit of ATMIS troops from the country by December 2024.

GAROWE ONLINE