MOGADISHU, Somalia

The Somali National Army killed three al-Shabaab terrorists and rescued 30 hostages in the Lower Shabelle region, the country's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

During an operation in the vicinity of Buula Madiina on the outskirts of Afgoye town in the Lower Shabelle region, the forces rescued 30 civilians, including two women, who had been held hostage by the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, according to a statement by the ministry.

It said the troops also destroyed an “illegal detention site and a makeshift so-called court that al-Shabaab had been using to oppress and punish local residents.”

The ministry said the latest operation forms part of the army’s ongoing efforts to “pursue and dismantle al-Shabaab networks, strengthen public safety, and enhance stability across the country.”

Afgoye is a strategic agricultural town located 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of the national capital, Mogadishu.

Since late 2024, the Somali National Army and security forces in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland have increased air raids against al-Shabaab in the south and central provinces and ISIS (Daesh) in the northeastern Bari region, with the support of international security partners.

Earlier this month, the Somali government said that 220 precision airstrikes had been conducted against terrorists, with 868 of them killed since February this year.

Al-Shabaab has been pursuing an insurgency against the Somali government for more than 16 years, frequently targeting security forces, officials, and civilians.