Senior Shabab operative killed by Somali army

(MENAFN) On Monday, Apr. 19 a military officer corroborated that a senior Shabab leader was killed by the Somali National Army (SNA) and another two were detained in a drive in the Middle Shabelle region. The army carried out an arranged drive on Sunday down the road connecting Balad and Jowhar towns in southern Somalia and caused casualties on the rebels, said Abshir Mohamed Mohamud, SNA commander for Unit 3, to military radio. Mohamud noted: "our forces killed a senior Shabab commander who was in charge of planting landmines in the Middle Shabelle region," further saying that the forces also killed Mohamud's bodyguard and arrested another two senior Shabab leaders in the drive. Somali administration forces have increased operations against al-Shabab in southern regions, but the militants still have power over a number of rural locales in those regions, carrying out ambushes and setting landmines.