Mogadishu, January 02 (QNA) - Somalia's army said it had killed 29 Al Shabab fighters during a military operation in the country's central region.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Somali National Army said the operation targeted militant positions in the Jubad Gudni area of the Middle Shabelle region, south-east of the capital, Mogadishu.
The army said those killed included senior commanders and key operatives.
The statement added that the operation was carried out in coordination with international partners as part of an ongoing campaign over the past week. The army said the wider campaign, which also covered the areas of Alnali and Hawadley, had resulted in the deaths of around 135 Al Shabab fighters and the destruction of several of the group's bases.
Al Shabab, which is linked to Al Qaeda, has been fighting the Somali government for more than a decade. In recent months, Somali security forces have recaptured a number of towns and villages in central and southern parts of the country as part of an intensified offensive against the group. (QNA)