Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-Over 100 Al-Shabaab militants were on Wednesday killed, and several others injured after the Somali National Army supported by US AFRICOM forces conducted offensive operations in Gel-Libaah and El-Quraa, located along the border of Galgadud and Middle Shabelle regions.

During the joint ground and air operation, the Army targeted Al-Shabaab gathering bases, completely destroying their hideouts, and seized weapons and equipment from the militants.

A statement from the Ministry of Information confirmed the operation and reiterated the government’s commitment to fighting against Al-Shabaab.

“The Somali National Army Forces supported by US Africom conducted an offensive operation against Al-Shabaab at Gel-Libaah and El-Qurac located along the border of Galgadud and Middle Shabelle regions. In the attack over the forces killed over 100 militants, destroyed their hideouts, and seized weapons,” reads the statement from the ministry of information.

In a separate operation, the Somali National Army conducted a planned raid on Al-Shabaab’s hideouts in the El-Bashir area, along the road connecting Jameeco and Bur-hakaba Districts in Bay region, killing 10 militants.

The operation, carried out in the evening, specifically targeted a checkpoint where Al-Shabaab militants were extorting money from the local community living in the area.

This operations come after Al-Shabaab’s media wing, Al-kata’ib, released a video showing their fighters carrying out an attack in broad daylight in the Somali capital Mogadishu, particularly in Deynile where the militants attacked security officers attacked to the checkpoint.

It also came days before President Hassan Sh. Mohamud launch the second phase of the fight against Al-Shabaab, named the ‘Black Lion Operation,’ in Dhusamareb, the administrative capital of Galmudug State. The president will scale up the operation and mobilize the local community in a united front against the militants.