SOMALIA — Somalia’s Ministry of Defense said on August 22 that local community forces killed two men it identified as Al-Shabaab commanders on August 21, in separate operations near Daaru-Nicma and Tawakal in Middle Shabelle.
Four days earlier the same ministry said Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) positions in Baidoa, the main city of South West State, came under attack at about 5:00 a.m. local time (2:00 a.m. UTC) on August 17.
It said the attackers included fighters from the U.S.-designated terrorist group Al-Shabaab and militias loyal to former South West president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, and that they used vehicles packed with explosives.
The ministry added SNAF stopped the assault, killed nearly 30 of the attackers, captured several others, and seized weapons and vehicles.
Laftagareen’s camp said the same morning that its forces had taken the city center. No official record issued by August 22 settled which side actually held the city.
Targeting Of Al-Shabaab Transport and collection commander in Middle Shabelle On August 18, Ethiopian National Surrenders To Defense Forces
The August 18 ministry release said two young pastoralists had killed an Al-Shabaab transport and collection commander in Ruunirgood district, Middle Shabelle, the day before.
A second release that day said an Ethiopian national who had spent four years and one month with the group surrendered to local defense forces in Quracjoome, Bakool region, on or before August 18.
