South West state forces arrest al-Shabaab leader in operation in Bay region.

Security forces in the southwestern state have arrested an al-Shabaab leader, Adam Mohamed Ali "Tayo", in the Burhakaba district of Bay province.

Tayo, who was dressed in a federal government army uniform, was arrested with a weapon and handed over to local security forces in the southwestern state.

The operation was part of a crackdown on al-Shabaab militants in the southwest, and security forces recently paralyzed 12 al-Shabaab members captured during military operations in and around Baidoa, the temporary capital of the southwest.

Intensive operations against al-Shabaab are taking place in the Bay and Bakool regions, with the Somali army, local residents and security forces in South West State cooperating to eradicate al-Shabaab.