Somali police nab 11 militants in operation: official

Somali police said they are holding 11 suspects linked to Al-Shabaab militants and seized explosives and weapons after covert operation in Mogadishu's Yaqshid district early Monday, officials said.

Deputy Somali police commissioner Mukhtar Hussein Afrah told journalists that the militants were arrested following a tip off from the public that a number of Al-Shabaab fighters were hiding in a house in Yaqshid district, north of the capital.

"Special police forces surrounded the house and when they stormed inside, they found 11 Al-Shabaab militants, along with various weapons, including heavy machine-guns and pistols," Afrah said.

According to the police commander, the house was being used to prepare the bombings and murder operations against civilians in Mogadishu.

"We learned that the house was a base for the members of Al-Shabaab which they used to carry out interruption operations in the capital," he added.

Residents told Xinhua that Somali police forces conducted operations that lasted for four hours in the district.

"There was a security operation launched and some people were detained by the police in our district," said Ahmed Sha'iye, one of the residents in Yaqshid district.

Although Al-Shabaab militants have been flushed out of most regions in Somalia by Africa Union and government troops, the group is still capable of carrying out attacks against government and AU peacekeeping force in Mogadishu. Endit