Mogadishu, (SONNA) – The Somali National Army (SNA) Ground Forces Commander General Sahal Abdullahi Omar, alongside Hirshabelle Vice President Yusuf Ahmed Hagar and other senior officials, visited frontline troops in Xalfooleey, a strategic area on the border between the Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions.
The delegation met with hundreds of local fighters from the “Xaq u Dirir” (Justice Defenders) militia, a community-based force actively engaged in the battle against Al-Shabaab militants. General Sahal praised their efforts in securing their homeland and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to doubling its support for local defense forces fighting alongside the national army.
Hirshabelle Vice President Yusuf Ahmed Hagar echoed these sentiments, emphasizing his administration’s determination to eradicate Al-Shabaab from all territories under its jurisdiction.
“Every war can end in negotiation, but with these terrorists, our only option is to eliminate them from our country,” Hagar stated.
The visit comes as government forces, backed by local militias, intensify military operations to push Al-Shabaab out of central Somalia.
