Somalia warns public to keep out of Shabaab areas as bombardments against group intensify
After his re-election in May 2022, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared a total war against Al-Shabaab.
Somalia on Sunday warned its citizens living in areas controlled by Al-Shaabab to stay away from the terrorists to avoid being hurt in ongoing security operations against the group. Information Minister Daud Aweis said this when confirming the bombing of Al-Shabaab targets in Jilib town, the group's unofficial headquarters.
Daud confirmed that the government forces and friends of Somalia successfully carried out aerial bombardments of Al-Shabaab targets in Jilib on Sunday and warned of more bombs.
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“We once again warn the Somali public to stay away from Al-Shabaab targets where the group plots their terror campaigns. The Somalia government is determined to continue with the anti-terror operations and there will be more aerial bombardments so the public should keep off the enemy’s hideouts to reduce civilian casualties,” Daud said.
He confirmed that the houses of two senior commanders in Jilib were destroyed. He did not confirm how many terrorists were killed in the attack that happened early on Sunday.
“The enemy was hit in Jilib where several locations were targeted including two houses of two senior commanders, namely Hassan Yakub and Amin, were destroyed,” Daud said in a press conference.
Total war against Al-Shabaab
After his re-election in May 2022, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared a total war against Al-Shabaab. His government implemented a three-pronged war aimed at weakening Al-Shabaab: a military offensive, freezing accounts used for funding terror and through de-radicalisation campaign to educate the public.
These plans worked and the government has since pushed Al-Shabaab, reclaiming many territories from the group. However, in the last weeks, Al-Shabaab has increased its attacks, prompting the government to increase its operations against the group.
Minister Daud confirmed ongoing operations against Al-Shabaab in South and Central Somalia. He said operations will continue and urged the public to support the government in the fight against terror since the public is the biggest victim of Al-Shabaab’s heinous terror campaigns.
Al-Shabaab has been wreaking havoc in Somalia since 2007. The insurgents have killed tens of thousands of people in their bloody terror attacks, often using suicide attacks in public places and government bases and instalments.
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