Somalia President lauds army for kicking Al-Shabaab out of key towns

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has declared significant progress in the fight against Al-Shabaab and praised the national army and citizens for their courage in the war against the terrorists.

Hassan issued the remarks on Monday on tours of the Harardheere and El-Dher towns in the Galgadud region, accompanied by leaders including Galmudug State President Ahmed Abdi Kaariye.

Also present were the defence and interior ministers, members of Parliament, and the commander of the Somali National Army (SNA).

President @HassanSMohamud visited the districts of El-Dher and Haradhere, inspecting the government-led stabilization efforts. The President met with army commanders, commending the SNA's resolute commitment in the ongoing offensive aimed at eliminating international terrorists. pic.twitter.com/1dAEHM9P0X

— Villa Somalia (@TheVillaSomalia) April 1, 2024

This was Hassan's first-ever visit to the Harardheere district, which was liberated by the Somali army last year.

In that town, the President said, "Today the military is happy. They have kicked Al-Shabaab out of this town and now children can go to school. They have been here and used to send us pictures every day and night," he said.

In El-Dher, he said, "El-Dher, as the President of Galmudug has said, is a historic town where Al-Shabaab terrorists should not be seen. We will do our best to ensure they don't return and go after them in the other areas of Galmudug State where they are hiding."

He cited Galad, ElBuur, and Galhareri.

"God willing, we will defeat them," he said.

Somalia's government-led forces captured the port town of Harardheere last year in one of their most significant victories since launching an offensive against the group in 2022. Al-Shabaab had held the town for more than a decade.

Harardhere was a major base for pirates hijacking merchant ships until 2011. It was later taken over by the terror group, which first rose against the government in 2007 before pledging its allegiance to Al-Qaeda.

Al-Shabaab recently attacked and killed at least 17 people at the Busley military base in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia and battled their way to the facility using a suicide car bomb.

They also killed at least six Kenyans when they raided the border town of Dhobley, Somalia, on March 29.

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The successes against the militants have led some officials to declare that Al-Shabaab is on its last legs. However, experts have cautioned that the group has been pushed out of major towns before, only to regroup and reclaim areas the army cannot hold.

Meanwhile, Kenya continues to be on high alert along the border counties of Lamu and several in the northeastern region to keep the militants from crossing over.

Last week, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki released modern equipment, including mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles, for use in the fight against terrorism in the border country and against banditry in the north rift.