Somali especial forces raid on al Shabaab

0

MOGADISHU – Somali special forces known as ‘DANAB’ have launched an operation against al Shabaab near the coastal town of Kismayo, some 500km south of Mogadishu.

Somali military official Mural says the operation was conducted in a rebel-held area of Arare near Kismayo after a tip-off, triggering a brief gunfight.

He says scores of militants were killed during the operation.

Mural added such operations would continue until the militant group is eradicated.

He said the military forces would carry out an ant-al Shabaab operation in Koban and other villages held by the al Qaeda linked group.

There was no immediate comment from Al Shabaab over the military claims.

al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda linked group continues to hold small rural areas in central and southern Somalia

The group was pushed out of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in 2011 after a joint offensive carried out by Somalia and African Union troops.

The rebel group wants to overthrow the weak UN-backed government in Somalia and impose its own strict interpretation of Islamic law.