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Six Al-Shabaab fighters arrested in security swoop in S. Somalia

Xinhua, January 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Africa Union peacekeepers and Somalia government forces on Wednesday arrested six Al-Shabaab fighters in a joint security operation at Lego neighborhood in lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia.

Somali's government official in Lego, Abukar Isak said the operation was conducted in Jame'o, Yakbari-weyne and Lego regions, adding that it was not clear whether key leaders of the Islamist group were killed during the operation.

"Somali National Army with support from AMISOM conducted a joint security operation against Al-Shabaab terrorist group here in Lower Shabelle region earlier today. We arrested six suspects and recovered weapons during the operation, we believe they are Al-Shabaab fighters," Isak said.

He said the suspects who are being held in custody will be interrogated with a view to getting more information from them that may lead to the arrest of their colleagues still at large in the region.

The Al-Qaida-linked group has engaged the AU peacekeepers and the Somali government in near daily attacks especially in Mogadishu and regions bordering Kenya.

The group has lost key towns in the south and central Somalia in the past three years, but still carries out deadly bomb attacks in the main towns including the capital of Somalia-Mogadishu. Enditem