... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...holy warriors, state media reports, following a huge success in an operation carried out around the Bakool area where the group has been dominant for a while.
The operation comes at the time the national army is engaged in fierce battles against the group, which has also lost several strategic towns in the process. The army is involved in active operations within the central regions, targeting Galmadug and HirShabelle states.
At Bakool region in Southwest, state media reports, the national army destroyed several al-Shabaab hideouts, flushing out the holy warriors in the process. Several items including machine guns and grenades were recovered, authorities said.
"Somali National Army dismantles al-Shabaab hideouts in Bakool Region," state media reported while acknowledging support from the local community which has been instrumental in the fight against the group for the last 12 months.
"In a decisive operation, the Somali National Army has eliminated al-Shabaab hideouts in Lukugooraw, Edayin, Dabgal, and Elahaley, effectively dismantling their presence in the region," read the statement posted on X formerly known as Twitter.