At least 19 militants were killed in fierce fighting between Al-Shabaab fighters and president Mohamed Hassan Fiqi backed loyalists of the former group's leader Mukhtar Robow in Somalia's southwestern region of Bakool.
Al-Shabaab militants stormed the Abal village, located southwest to capital Mogadishu and forced Robow's loyalists to retreat from Abal village. But they later returned to beat back their attackers in a midday counter offensive.
SouthWest state (which encompasses the Bakool region) acting president Mohamed Hassan Fiqi said that the fighting which continued all through Wednesday in the Bakool region, killed 13 Al-Shabaab and six Abu Mansoor militants.
"Forces loyal to Muktar Robow pushed the Al-Shabaab fighters out after several hours of fighting. Many people were killed," Fiqi said on Thursday.
Abdirasak Abdi, the state deputy security minister confirmed that his administration is backing the Abu Mansoor group, a move it has taken to defeat the Al-Shabaab group, which aims to establish Sharia rule in the region, Anadolu news reported.
Abu Mansoor, a top leader of the Al-Shabaab group, deserted it in 2013 and the U.S. removed his name from the list of wanted terrorists.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app