MOGADISHU: Somali government forces, with support from the U.S. military, launched a targeted airstrike in central Somalia that killed dozens of al Shabaab militants, authorities announced Thursday. The strike was carried out late Wednesday in the Adan Yabaal district, a known militant stronghold approximately 245 kilometers north of Mogadishu.
According to the Ministry of Information, the operation struck a hideout used by the al Qaeda-affiliated group and resulted in the deaths of several senior members. The ministry emphasized that the strike was precise and did not result in any civilian casualties.
Hours before the airstrike, heavy clashes erupted in Adan Yabaal after al Shabaab launched an attack on the area, which has been strategically important for government counterinsurgency efforts. The outcome of the battle remains unclear, as both sides offered conflicting accounts of control over the town. Al Shabaab claimed it had overrun 10 military posts during the confrontation.
In a separate operation on Thursday near Baidoa in the southwest, Somali national forces killed at least 35 more al Shabaab fighters as they attempted to storm a military base.
Despite recent military gains, al Shabaab continues to push forward in rural regions. Last month, the group briefly seized villages just 50 kilometers from the capital, heightening concerns among Mogadishu residents about potential attacks. The government has since reclaimed those areas and has increased deployment of police and prison officers to reinforce military units on the front lines.
