Somali special forces have announced the seizure of the strategically important town of Ali Arafa, located in the Galmadug region, as part of an upsurge in military operations against Al Shabaab, which is linked to the Al Qaeda terrorist organization.
According to information gathered by the Somali news portal Garowe Online, the Danab special forces, trained by the United States, have taken control of the locality, located near the city of Galad, with the support of the Turkish-backed Gorgor unit.
Mohamed Moalin Abukar Hassan, from a regiment of the Gorgor unit, said that the Al Shabaab forces withdrew from the area before the military deployment, so the Somali troops entered Ali Arafa without encountering any resistance. Galmudug region is located north of the capital Mogadishu.
Somali authorities recently announced the start of the second phase of their offensive against Al Shabaab, focusing on the central and southern regions of the country where the terrorist group has a significant presence.
Somalia has in recent months stepped up offensives against Al Shabaab with the support of local clans and militias as part of a series of decisions taken by President Hassan Shaykh Mohamud, who pledged on taking office to put the fight against terrorism at the heart of his efforts to stabilize the African country.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
