The Somali army announced the recapture of a significant area in the Lower Juba region in the south of the country. According to the Somali News Agency (SONNA), on Sunday, “the national army, in cooperation with the Jubaland regional forces, late Saturday evening, recaptured the village of Falafly, in the Bulo Haji area of the Lower Juba region in the south of the country.”
Army officers stated to national media that “the village, which the joint forces recaptured, was a haven for militants who extorted livestock from herders and looted their property.” They added that “the fighting will continue until the last stronghold of the terrorists in the Jubaland areas is liberated.”
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud denied having any dialogue with the “Al-Shabaab” movement, expressing his absolute refusal to negotiate with the extremist group. From time to time, Somalia announces the killing of dozens of militants from the “Al-Shabaab” movement as part of military operations by the army in various regions within the African country. The government has been fighting the movement, which was founded in early 2004 and has claimed responsibility for bombings that have killed civilians and members of the army and police.
Somalia’s National Security Advisor, Hussein Sheikh Ali, also denied any secret negotiations between the Somali federal government and the “Al-Shabaab” movement.
He noted that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has set clear conditions regarding this possibility, which include severing any ties with global terrorist groups, accepting the sovereignty of Somali territories, and being ready to pursue their political agenda peacefully, according to the “New Somalia” news website (Saturday).
This statement was in response to reports circulating on social media about preparations for negotiations between the Somali government and the “Al-Shabaab” movement in the Qatari capital, Doha. The “Al-Shabaab” movement, linked to “Al-Qaeda,” launches attacks to overthrow the Somali government and establish a hardline regime.
Despite being ousted from the capital Mogadishu in 2011 and many areas they previously controlled due to attacks by Somali forces supported by African Union peacekeeping forces, the movement still controls large parts of Somalia.
