The Somali-based al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists were killed in the last 24 hours in the operation in a forest near the town of Caad, according to Brig. Gen. Dayah Abdi Abdulle.
He said the army, backed by local forces, will continue the operation against al-Shabaab.
His remarks came two days after the Defense Ministry announced more than 130 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed during simultaneous operations in central and southern Somalia, and claimed to have liberated large swaths of land from the terror group, Anadolu Agency reported.
The army, backed by local forces, has been conducting separate military operations against al-Shabaab in the central province of Mudug in Hirshabelle state, as well as the southern state of Jubaland, which have been ongoing since late last week.
Somalia has been plagued by insecurity for years, with the main threats emanating from al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIL terror groups.
MP/PR
