Somali security forces have killed 28 Al Shabab militants, including a senior commander, during coordinated operations in the Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions.
The Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency said senior operative Abdirahman Abdi Mudallib and five other militants were killed in airstrikes in Hiran. Mudallib was accused of planning and coordinating attacks in the Buulo-burde and Jalalaqsi districts.
In a separate operation in Middle Shabelle, security forces and their partners targeted a gathering of about 70 militants preparing attacks near Masaajid Cali Gaduud, killing 23 of them.
Authorities said the operations are part of ongoing efforts to weaken the Al Qaeda-linked group and improve security across the country.
Al Shabab has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for more than 16 years, while the military, backed by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and international partners, has intensified counterterrorism operations in recent months.
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