SOMALIA – At least 17 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in an overnight air operation in southern Somalia, according to the Defense Ministry on Tuesday.

The operation targeted a location in the Jabad Godone area of ​​the Middle Shabelle region where the al-Qaeda-linked group planned attacks and manufactured explosive devices, the ministry said in a statement.

It added that the operation, conducted with international support, destroyed weapons and vehicles used by the terrorist group in its operations.

Al-Shabaab has been pursuing an insurgency against the Somali government for more than 16 years, frequently targeting security forces, officials, and civilians.

Since late 2024, the Somali National Army and security forces in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland have increased air raids against al-Shabaab in the southern and central provinces and ISIS (Daesh) in the northeastern Bari region, with the support of international security partners.