Mogadishu, Feb 28 (IANS): Somali National Army (SNA) has said its forces killed five al-Shabab terrorists during a security operation conducted within the vicinity of Balad and Afgoye districts located northeast and southwest of Mogadishu respectively.
The SNA Commander, who led the operation told Radio Mogadishu on Sunday that several of the militants' hideouts in the farmlands, were also destroyed during the sting operation, Xinhua news agency reported.
"Somali National Army killed five al-Shabab terrorists and destroyed their hideouts in the farmlands between Balad and Afgoye districts in a planned security operation on Sunday," the State-owned radio reported.
The government forces have intensified operations against al-Shabab in central and southern regions in the recent past, but the militants are still in control of strongholds in the rural areas of those regions, conducting ambushes and planting landmines.