MOGADISHU, Somalia— Somalia’s elite Danab commando forces killed 15 Al-Shabab militants and captured eight others during a night raid in Jilib, a major stronghold of the militant group in Middle Jubba region, officials said.
Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim said the operation demonstrated the Somali army’s operational capabilities, including the use of air support to strike “anywhere at any time.”
Moalim praised the troops’ bravery and effectiveness, saying the raid inflicted heavy losses on Al-Shabab and disrupted the group’s activities in the region.
The operation followed another recent raid that killed two senior Al-Shabab leaders, identified as Engineer Ismail and Abdikarim Mohamed Hirsi.
Ismail, a close aide to the group’s top leader Ahmed Diriye, oversaw weapons, explosives, internal security, and media operations.
Hirsi was responsible for external operations, including attacks in neighboring Kenya, which has frequently been targeted by the militants, Moalim said.
Despite ongoing air and ground offensives, Al-Shabab continues to stage deadly attacks on military bases in southern and central Somalia.
Last year, the militants seized several towns in pre-dawn assaults involving suicide bombings followed by gun battles.
The group still controls large areas of rural territory, including the Middle Jubba region, where its senior leadership has operated since being driven from Mogadishu in 2011.