Heavy fighting between al-Shabaab and Daesh in the Golis Mountains in northeastern Somalia left at least 40 al-Shabaab militants dead, including three senior leaders, last week, according to Somali state media.
SONNA reported that the fighting began with a suicide bombing in Mount Carmis, where a group of al-Shabaab militants organized themselves but were attacked by Daesh.
The main faction of Daesh active in Somalia is led by Abdul Qadir Mumin, a former Al-Shabaab leader who switched sides in October 2015 and announced the founding of the “Islamic State of Somalia” (Abnaa ul-Calipha). Mumim was already leading some 300 Al-Shabaab jihadists in the Puntland region of northeast Somalia. However, the majority preferred not to follow him, leaving him with about 100 followers.
On Saturday, the Somali government stated that since government-led military operations against al-Shabaab began in several regions in August 2022, at least 3,000 al-Shabaab militants have been killed, and another 3,700 have been injured.
According to a report by the Defense Ministry, the Somali National Forces, with the support of locals, have liberated approximately 70 towns and villages from al-Shabaab’s grip.
Muqdisho-Somalia
