Somalia says three senior al-Shabaab leaders killed in joint operation
[ShabelleMedia] Three senior ringleaders of the al-Shabaab Khawarij group were killed in a joint operation carried out by Somali security forces and international partners, officials said Sunday.
The operation, which was jointly planned and executed by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), the Somali National Army (SNA), and allied international forces, took place on June 6 in the Ceelhareeri area of the central Hiiraan region.
Authorities did not immediately disclose the identities of the slain militants but described them as high-ranking figures within the al-Qaeda-linked group’s command structure.
“The operation marks another significant blow to the Khawarij terrorists as we continue to dismantle their leadership and operational capabilities,” a security official told AFP on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the mission.
Al-Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency in Somalia for over a decade, continues to stage deadly attacks across the country despite sustained military pressure.
The Somali government has intensified counterterrorism operations in recent months, vowing to eradicate the group’s presence in rural strongholds.
Posted by: trailing wife 2025-06-09 |