The Somali National Army carried out an airstrike over the weekend near the Jamame District in the Lower Juba region, according to the Somali government, that resulted in the deaths of 43 al-Shabab fighters, including two top commanders.
The airstrike “successfully eliminated key al-Shabab leaders Aden Abdirahman Aden and Idris Abdirahim Nur, who was of Kenyan nationality, and a total of 43 al-Shabab fighters,” according to SONNA, the Somali National News Agency.
At the military camp in Barsanguni, which is home to the Somali National Army and local forces, militants and their leaders gathered on Friday to discuss operations against government soldiers, according to SONNA. The attack was carried out by “Somalia’s international partners,” according to SONNA.
Although the bombing was carried out by a foreign partner, the U.S. Africa Command frequently uses drones to attack targets that are associated with Somali militants, according to the statement.
“The successful thwarting of this planned attack demonstrates the efficacy of the ongoing efforts to combat al-Shabaab and protect the people of Somalia,” the statement continued.
As the Council of Ministers of Somalia proposed Brigadier General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow as the new leader of the Somali National Army, the news was announced.
General Odawa Yusuf, who has held the job since March 2019, was suggested to be fired, according to a spokesman for the Somali Defense Ministry. The appointment, he added, came after the request.
“General Addow is well-versed in his new position. The National Presidential Guard Brigade’s Commander was one of the many military positions he previously held, according to the nomination statement.
These military breakthroughs occur as the army prepares to launch a second phase of its offensive against al-Shabab with the assistance of forces from nearby nations.
