The Somali News Agency (SUNA) announced today (Saturday) the death of more than 44 members of Al-Qaeda affiliated organization in a military operation in the south of the country, stressing that among the dead were prominent leaders.
The agency stated that the national security and intelligence forces and international partners carried out the operation on Friday evening in the Ali Foto area of the city of Kontwari in Lower Shabelle Governorate, southern Somalia.
The sources stated that the operation came after the Somali National Intelligence received information about the gathering of terrorist elements in the Ali Foto area to prepare a terrorist plot to target civilians.
The sources pointed out that the operation led to the destruction of weapons and military equipment of terrorist elements, indicating that the Somali government, in cooperation with citizens and international partners, is determined to eliminate terrorist elements in all areas where they are holed up.