Baidoa(Mogadishu24)-The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), alongside SouthWest State Forces, conducted joint security patrols in Baidoa and its surrounding areas on Saturday.

The operation targeted Al-Shabaab cells within population centers, according to a statement released by ATMIS on Monday.

The operation was led by Deputy Sector 3 Commander Col. Seboqa Bekele and SouthWest State Forces Commander Isaaq Meedey. Both commanders urged local residents to cooperate with security forces by sharing information that could help prevent Al-Shabaab attacks.

While SouthWest State authorities have not yet commented on the operation, Al-Shabaab has remained silent on the ATMIS report. However, the group claimed responsibility for a separate attack on Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) near Mandera County in northeast Kenya, where several two were killed and two others injured.