Somali soldiers have killed at least a hundred members of the Islamist terrorist group al-Shabaab, including a dozen or so of the organisation’s commanders.
The Somali government reported that the operation took place during the night from Friday to Saturday in the centre of the country.
Members of al-Shabaab had gathered there to prepare for a large-scale attack in the Galmudug state, the country’s Information Minister, Abdirahman Yusuf, said.
The Somali soldiers carried out the operation with the support of intelligence services and a foreign security partner, the Information Ministry added, without going into further details.
Somalia receives support from the US, among others, in its fight against terrorist militias.
Al-Shabaab controls large parts of central and southern Somalia. However, the government in Mogadishu launched a military offensive against the Islamist terrorists several months ago. The military has since managed to make significant territorial gains.