Somali Army Commander, General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyiddin, described the withdrawal of forces from some areas liberated from Al-Shabaab as a strategic withdrawal.
This came in a speech he made before the army, senior military officials, and Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, who was visiting Adam Yabale in Middle Shabelle region, Hirshabelle state.
General Muhyiddin urged the Somali Armed Forces and the people of the city of “Adam Yabal” to defend their city to prevent it from falling into the hands of Al-Shabaab militants, calling on the Somali Prime Minister to give priority to the development of the region.
President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud confirmed the continuation of the war against Al-Shabaab in a speech he delivered on Tuesday evening, after obstacles faced by his government due to the withdrawal of government forces from many areas that were liberated from Al-Shabaab without a fight.
The president spoke about the losses incurred by his forces in a battle that took place a few days ago in the “Awsween” area in the “Galgudud” region of Galmudug state, and indicated that the soldiers who were killed were fewer than what the youth movement claimed.
The president explained that Al-Shabaab movement published fabricated pictures of the incident, and stated that its fighters suffered heavy losses in the confrontations that took place in “Awsween” and buried 190 militants in a mass grave.
The president emphasized that if mistakes were made, they would be corrected, and added, “It is time to reward the heroes and hold accountable those who abused military power.”
Wabhu - Gunmen affiliated with the Al-Shabaab movement recaptured the town of Wabhu, near the city of El Bor in the Gil Ghudud region, after the withdrawal of federal government forces and local militias.
A few days ago, the allied forces took full control of the strategic town of Baho and other areas in the Galgudud region of Galmudug state in central Somalia.
In a sudden turn of events, the federal government forces and clan militias withdrew during the past hours from several major cities in the state, including Misgway, Budbud, Gilad and El Tir, all of which were recently liberated from the grip of Al-Shabaab.
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced that it carried out an airstrike in southern Somalia, killing 13 Al-Shabaab militants.
The AFRICOM said in a press release on Sunday that the raid, which was carried out in support of Somali forces, took place on August 26 in the vicinity of Sierra, Somalia, about 45 kilometers northwest of the city of Kismayo.
The statement issued by AFRICOM added that the initial assessment of the strike indicates that there were no casualties or deaths among civilians.
The United States of America considers the Somali militant Islamist movement, which merged with Al-Qaeda in February 2012, to be the largest and most active network of the organization in the world.
The President of Somaliland, Musa Bihi Abdi, vowed revenge after the setback of his army, which on Friday lost control of some of its bases in the war in the Sool region since last February.
In a statement he made after his meeting with officials, including the presidential candidate of the opposition "National" party, Bayhi indicated that the Somaliland army still retains the strength it had before the recent setback, stressing that it will effectively respond to the attack it was subjected to.
The President of Somaliland made it clear that his forces are still steadfast as they have always been, indicating that they will overcome the challenges facing them.
On Friday, Somaliland suffered a major setback after clan militias that had been fighting their army in the city of “Las Anoud” for more than 6 months managed to take control of a major military base for the army in the Sool region, confiscating military equipment and arresting prisoners.
Reports from the “Galgudud” region in central Somalia indicated that Al-Shabaab fighters launched an attack this morning, Saturday, on a military base in the town of “Osweni”, located about 20 km from the city of “Eil Teir” in the “Galgudud” region in the state of Galmudug.
The reports added that the attack began with suicide bombings, followed by violent clashes between Al-Shabaab militants on the one hand, and government forces and allied clan militias on the other.
According to eyewitnesses, the two sides used all types of heavy weapons in the clashes, but the death toll from the attack is still unknown.
The attack comes hours after the Somali government forces took control of the strategic city of El Por in the Galgudud region, about 400 km from the capital, Mogadishu.
Somali military sources announced that government forces have advanced towards the strategic city of “El Por” in the Galgudud region in Galmudug state, central Somalia.
The Deputy Minister of Security in the state of Galmudug, Ali Bashi Abdullah, stated that the government forces, backed by the dervish forces of the state and the local population, are carrying out intensive military operations in the areas near the city, which was ruled by Al-Shabaab for more than 15 years.
The allied forces will begin entering El Bor within the next few hours, according to what he said, according to what was stated by the Deputy Minister of Security in Galmudug.
On the other hand, reliable sources revealed that the Al-Shabab Movement, which is loyal to Al-Qaeda, ordered the residents of El-Pour to evacuate.
At least three soldiers were killed and others were injured in an attack launched by Al-Shabab after midnight last night on government facilities in the “Kahda” district in the capital, Mogadishu.
Al-Shabaab fighters targeted the company's headquarters, the headquarters of the administration, and two security checkpoints. The fighters used a car bomb in their attack on the police station, and the government forces finally managed to control the situation.
The attack launched by Al-Shabaab on the “Kahda” district came after the great victories achieved by the Somali government in its war against the militants in Galmudug state, central Somalia.
The Somali government had indicated earlier that the fighters of the youth movement will try to do everything they can do to thwart the military operations against it that are taking place in the country's regions to wrest control of the areas under the movement's administration.
The commander of the Somali army, General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyiddin, ruled out the participation of Somalia's neighbors in the second phase of the war against Al-Shabaab, as was agreed upon with the leaders of these countries last February.
Muhyiddin indicated that the plan for the participation of forces from Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya in military operations is not clear, adding that these countries are not ready at the present time to participate in the war.
The army commander said, "I cannot be certain that the three countries did not participate in the operation, which I called (Black Lion), but I do not see evidence of their participation in the ongoing battle."
He added that the Somali government is waiting for its neighbors to fulfill their commitments, but stressed that the neighboring countries will not be part of the war against the youth movement that Somalia announced recently, noting that his country will rely on itself in the war against the group.
Today, Tuesday, Somali forces, with US air support, carried out a military operation near the town of “Galad” in Galmudug state, located in central Somalia.
The joint operation, which resulted in the killing of five Al-Shabaab militants, targeted a hideout of Al-Qaeda-linked fighters.
According to the government version, the operation took place in an area about 35 km southeast of the town of “Gilad”, and caused the destruction of the hideout and the elimination of the five gunmen.
The Somali army and international partners are making continuous efforts to combat terrorist groups in various Somali regions.
The President of Somaliland, Musa Bihi Abdi, called for the trial of the rebels who, last Friday, killed 9 policemen and wounded 17 others.
The president, who attended the funeral of the soldiers who died in the attack, said that anyone who participated in the killing or who participated in the attack will face the law.
The President called for the need to unite in order to defend Somaliland, and indicated that everything can be achieved through consensus, dialogue and understanding.
Police soldiers were killed and others wounded in an ambush by gunmen opposed to the government of Somaliland, which ordered after the incident to take appropriate measures against the rebels, but politicians, intellectuals and clan elders are looking for a peaceful solution to the problem.
The Somali army announced that it had killed 25 Al-Shabaab militants today in two separate operations in the Lower Shabelle and Lower Juba regions, in the south of the country.
The first operation, which resulted in the killing of 18 Al-Shabaab militants, took place in the villages of Balad Al-Amin and Balad Al-Karim in the Lower Shabelle region, while the second operation, which killed 7 Al-Shabaab militants, took place in villages belonging to the “Janai Abdallah” area in the Lower Juba Governorate.
It is noteworthy that the Somali forces, backed by tribal fighters and international partners, have recently intensified their military operations in areas still under the control of the Al-Shabaab movement, which is linked to Al-Qaeda.
Forces of the Somali National Intelligence and Security Service (Nisa) succeeded in thwarting an attempt to detonate a car bomb, killing its driver, on the outskirts of the capital, Mogadishu.
The Somali intelligence indicated, in a statement posted on its Twitter account, that the forces intercepted a car loaded with explosives near the “water wells” area on the outskirts of the capital.
She added that the driver tried to flee, but a special forces unit in the Somali intelligence services shot and killed him.
Mogadishu - Al-Shabaab has placed restrictions on the largest Somali telecom company, Hormuud, affecting its offices in southern and central Somalia.
A source, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told Voice of America that the ban imposed on the company by Al-Shabaab is related to its dealings with Somali government agencies and its refusal to pay money to the movement.
The Somali government, Hormud Company and Al-Shabaab have not officially spoken about this ban, which is said to have been going on for almost 4 months.
The Minister of Internal Security in the Somali federal government, Muhammad Sheikh Ali (Dudishi), along with the Governor of Banadir Governorate and the Mayor of Mogadishu Municipality, Yusuf Hussein Jumaali (Madali), chaired a security meeting in Mogadishu, in the presence of officials of the various security services.
The meeting discussed a number of security issues and joint cooperation between the various security sectors in order to speed up security procedures in Mogadishu.
The meeting also touched on strengthening cooperation in confronting the drug threat and implementing the government decision to prevent the carrying of heavy and unlicensed weapons in the capital.
The Somali National Army and international partners killed 45 Al-Shabaab militants after carrying out a military operation in Hieran district, central Somalia.
Military sources told the Somali National News Agency (SUNA) that the operation, which was carried out by the joint forces in the “Gob Yahas” area, 80 km south of Bulo Burdi city in Hiran governorate, resulted in the killing of 45 militants, including 10 prominent leaders.
The agency added that the operation targeted a base for the movement, where more than 110 injured people were being treated as a result of the ongoing military operations in different areas in Al-Bila.
On Saturday, the Military Court issued a life sentence for Ali Muhammad Hussein “Bondo” and Ali Suleiman Ibrahim, who are members of the Al-Shabaab movement.
These two elements were arrested in May of this year during operations carried out in areas belonging to the city of “Haratiri” in the Mudug region of Galmudug state, during the first phase of the operation to liberate the state from Al-Shabaab.
The court indicated that Bondo and his friend Ibrahim were fighting in the ranks of the youth movement, and stated that the last tasks that the first carried out was transporting the bodies of the movement's militants who were killed in battles against the Somali government forces, while the second was responsible for storing weapons.
On Friday, the Somali federal government announced the arrest of 10 workers in the security services who it said were spying for Al-Shabaab.
Dawoud Owais, the Minister of Information, indicated in a press conference that some of those accused of spying for Al-Shabaab fled after learning of the ongoing investigations regarding Al-Shabaab's collaborators.
Owais added that among the fugitives were Abd al-Sattar Abd al-Qadir Issa and Ayanli Muhammad Ali, who were employees of the government security services.
The National Intelligence and Security Agency issued a security alert regarding both Issa and Ali, who it said were participating in covert activities on behalf of Al-Shabaab, collecting sensitive information and assisting the movement's actions, and called on citizens to immediately report when they were seen or obtained information about them.
The Somali government revealed that the recent operations of the National Army forces against the Al-Shabaab movement in separate regions of Somalia have inflicted heavy losses on the Al-Shabab movement affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
In a press conference in Mogadishu, the Somali Federal Government Information Minister, Dawud Aweys Jame, said that the security operations that took place in recent weeks in the states of Galmudug and Hirshabelle and southwestern Somalia led to the death of 160 militants from Al-Shabaab and the confiscation of weapons and military equipment for the movement.
Jama added that about 100 militants were killed in the border areas between Galgudud and Central Shabelle regions, while 60 others were neutralized in the “Govgudud Buri” area in Bay region.
Reports from the Ron-Nergod area of Shabelle Middle region indicated that a position of Al-Shabaab militants on the outskirts of the area was shelled on Tuesday evening.
Aircraft bombed a site of fighters in the “Segato” area, which resulted in the destruction of military vehicles during the attack, which targeted a gathering of Al-Shabaab members.
The official media stated that the attack, in which the Somali army and its international allies participated, inflicted heavy losses on the Kharijites who were at the targeted site, but it did not reveal the numbers of the elements who were killed.
It should be noted that Al-Shabaab fighters are still present in areas belonging to the town of “Ron-Nergod” in the Middle Shabelle region of Hirshebelle state, but the fighters have recently been subjected to attacks and raids that have killed dozens of them, as confirmed by the Somali government.
Mogadishu - At least one government soldier was wounded in an explosion that occurred today, Tuesday, in the Wadjar district of the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
According to eyewitness accounts, the explosion that targeted a car carrying Somali government soldiers was caused by a landmine placed on the side of the road.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, it is the youth movement that usually carries out such attacks.
