Somali Intel Kills al-Shabaab Militants in Lower Shabelle Raid

(MENAFN) Somali intelligence forces, working alongside international partners, have killed at least nine al-Shabaab militants, including senior bomb-making specialists, in operations conducted in the southern Lower Shabelle region on Saturday.

The operation also destroyed six heavy engines used by the al-Qaeda-linked group to produce explosives, according to a statement from Somalia’s Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). The deceased included senior commanders Abiikar Nuur, responsible for managing engines and vehicles, and Abdifitah Mohamed Hassan, the chief mechanic overseeing car bomb preparation.

“These planned operations are part of ongoing efforts to dismantle Khawarij bases and organizational networks, while preventing future terrorist plots,” the NISA statement said, using the term Khawarij to describe al-Shabaab.

Al-Shabaab has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s government for more than 16 years, regularly targeting civilians, officials, and security forces. Since July of last year, the Somali army, supported by the African Union Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and other international partners, has intensified operations against the group.

The AUSSOM mandate was renewed for another year by the UN Security Council in December, under a UK-backed resolution extending authorization until December 31.

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