Galmudug forces killed 23 Al-Shabaab fighters, 13 other captured, officials say

At least 23 Al-Shabaab militants were killed and 13 others captured by Galmudug forces in heavy fighting in Mudug in northern Somalia on Thursday, officials said.

Galmudug Information minister, Mohamud Adan Osman who spoke to Goobjoog News said 7 of the Galmudug soldiers were injured during the battle with Al-Shabaab fighters who stormed the region early Thursday.

“We are in heavy battle with Al-Shabaab terrorist group in the region. Our forces have killed 23 of the militants and 13 others were captured during the fighting” Osman said.

There was no immediate comment from Al-Shabaab, which usually gives far lower numbers of casualties on its side and much higher death tolls for the government forces.

The development came after Puntland defeated the group in weeklong fighting in Nugal region where Puntland forces killed 200 fighters and captured over fifty other.

Puntland Defense forces chief General Saeed Mohamed Hirsi Thursday said that the operations against Al-Shabaab in Gara’ad district ended successfully.

“The operations against the terrorists were completed in a very successful fashion. A total of 208 militants were killed and 55 others were detained. Puntland lost 20 soldiers.’’  Hirsi said.

Somali Islamist militants briefly held a port town of Gara’ad in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland mid this month before withdrawing early next day following offensives from Puntland forces.

Al Shabaab has been driven out of major strongholds in Somalia by AMISOM and Somali army offensives launched last year. But the group still controls some rural areas and often launches guerrilla-style assaults and bomb attacks.

Being exerted on pressure from different sides, Al-Shabaab seem to have diverted their operations to northern part of Somalia.