Somalia’s spy agency kills 23 Al Shabab members in anti-terror operations

Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said on Tuesday that it carried out four operations killing at least 23 Al Shabab terrorists.

The operations were conducted in coordination with the country’s international security partners and took place in areas of the Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions of the south-central state of Hirshabelle, according to NISA.

The agency said in a statement that the terrorists were hit while they were preparing to launch attacks within the state.

“These preventive operations came after NISA received intelligence indicating that the Khawarij group was mobilising fighters in the areas of Wab-weyn and Gobo near Mahas town,” NISA said in a statement.

Khawarij is a term the Somali government uses to describe the Al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group Al Shabab.

A terrorist camp in the town of Moqokori in the Hiiraan region was also destroyed during the operations, according to the statement Al Shabab has been engaged in an insurgency against the Somali government for more than 16 years, frequently targeting security forces, officials and civilians.

Since last July, the Somali army, with the support of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia and other international partners, has stepped up operations against Al Shabab.

The African Union mission’s mandate was renewed for another year by the UN Security Council in December, with a UK-backed resolution extending its authorisation until December 31.