Former Somalia leaders applauds offensive against al Shabab

Former Somalia President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, ex-Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and former Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan have commended the ongoing offensive operations against al Shabab in Somalia.

Sheikh Sheikh Ahmed posted on his Facebook that he applauded the grassroots uprising of the Somali people to liberate themselves from al-Shabab, adding that it is time to eradicate terrorism in Somalia definitively. He called for the quick setup of government administrations in the newly-liberated areas.

Former Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble called on the Somali people living inside and outside the country to support the struggle for the country’s liberation, which is undermined by Alshabab who “oppose peace and stability”.

Government forces backed by anti-al Shabab local militia killed over a hundred militants in the last operations in Hiiraan, Galgadud and Bay. The joint forces also recaptured several towns and villages for the militants.

This week, the US government conducted an airstrike on Al Shabaab positions near Buulobarde in Hiiraan, killing 27 Al Shabaab fighters.

Last week, the joint forces took over the small villages of Bayle, Aliyow Doyow, Hawa Dhaysile, Borame, Karanoy and Dawuudow, which were previously under the control of Al-Shabaab.

In the Hiiraan region, the forces recaptured Moqokori, Tardo and Yasoman, while in the Galgagud, the forces recaptured Naygaag Duub, Dhisaqa, Abooreey, Dhuumaale and Cali Wayd.

Somalia’s Ministry of Defence Abdukhadir Mohamed Nor, Chief of Defense Forces General Odowaa Yusuf Rageh and other military officials visited recently-liberated areas on Friday.

They visited Yasoman village, where 75 al Shabab militants were killed on Sunday during an operation jointly conducted by the Somali government forces alongside anti-al Shabab militias.