Somalia: Troops unleash offensive against al-Shabaab, killed a militant commander
At least five militants were killed on Wednesday in an operation executed by Somali Army, a senior military official said, although Al-Shabaab is yet to confirm the latest onslaught against the group.
The five were killed during an army operation carried out between recently liberated town of Janaale and Qoryoley, which are notorious territories of the Al-Shabaab, which controls large swathes of rural southern and central Somalia.
For the last three months, elite troops from SNA have been engaging Al-Shabaab in-ground combats, but the US Africa Command has been also aiding the raids through airstrikes, which have significantly weakened the Al-Qaeda linked group.
Gen. Abdihamid Mohamed, the Somali National Army commander in Lower Shabelle region, said one of the most sought after militant, Abu Bakar, was among those killed by the special forces, who also wounded several militants during the operation.