MOGADISHU, Somalia

Over 100 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in an operation by the Somali military, a security official said Monday.

The operation, carried out by the elite Danab (the lighting brigade) unit involving airstrikes, took place in areas close to the town of Awdhegle in the Lower Shabelle region, a security official told Anadolu on the condition of anonymity.

The action began on Sunday night and continued until early hours of Monday, the official added.

The state-run Somali National News Agency (SONNA) also reported on the operation, saying it destroyed tunnels and hideouts used by the terrorists.

Since July, the Somali army, supported by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), has intensified operations against the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group in the Lower Shabelle region.

Multifront operations by Somali National Forces and local allies against al-Shabaab “yield decisive progress,” Information Minister Daud Aweis said in a brief statement Sunday.

He added that over 150 terrorists were killed, several towns liberated, while a terrorist was captured alive and weapon caches were seized.

The government Of Somalia FGS remains committed to eradicating terrorism, he said, without elaborating when and where the terrorists were killed.

Al-Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for over 16 years, regularly targets security forces, government officials, and civilians.