Somalia says 22 Al-Shabaab fighters killed in joint operations

At least 22 militants from Al-Shabaab were killed in two operations in central Somalia carried out by the Somali army with support from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and other international partners, according to the National Intelligence and Security Agency.

In Dumaye, Mudug region, forces targeted senior commanders, killing 15 fighters, NISA said.

A second operation in the Hiran region struck two houses used by the group, killing 7 militants, including operatives reportedly responsible for financing attacks.

The raids are part of Operation Rolling Thunder, a wider campaign aimed at dismantling Al-Shabaab strongholds and cutting its operational routes. The push follows the recent recapture of the towns of Daarusalaam, Mubarak, and Hawadley. Al-Shabaab has waged an insurgency in Somalia for more than 16 years.