At Least 20 Pro-Government Fighters Killed; report claims

In a report gathered by the AFP, at least 20 pro-government fighters have lost their lives during intense confrontations with Al-Shabaab, according to reports from local militia commanders and a clan elder.

The conflict unfolded on Wednesday in the Galmudug state’s Shabelow forest, a region under the control of the Al-Qaeda-linked group. However, due to the precarious security situation in Somalia, independent verification of the death toll remains unattainable.

The fighting, which comes as Al-Shabaab has waged a relentless insurgency against the government for over 15 years, was initiated by a joint offensive launched by the national army and allied local clan militias.

Somali Information Minister Daud Aweys has confirmed the clashes, asserting that more than 100 Al-Shabaab fighters have been eliminated. Nevertheless, no official figures regarding casualties among pro-government forces have been released.

Minister Aweys made an announcement during a press conference in the capital, Mogadishu, indicating that the joint forces successfully penetrated Al-Shabaab’s forest hideouts, resulting in the significant loss of over 100 militants.

Despite the pro-government forces managing to dislodge Al-Shabaab from numerous strongholds in central Somalia, the group has recently regained some previously lost territory and continues to orchestrate deadly attacks.

Last year, the internationally-backed central government initiated a substantial offensive against Al-Shabaab. However, in September, the government conceded “several significant setbacks” and called for a three-month pause in the planned reduction of African Union troops supporting the Somali army.