Fighting is ongoing between international forces and the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab in a strategic town less than 100 kilometers west of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) announced the move. Al-Shabaab, whose militants are linked to al-Qaeda, has seized control of dozens of towns and villages since launching its offensive earlier this year, wiping out nearly all the territorial gains made by the government during its military campaign in 2022 and 2023.

Aussom said in a statement that it launched a "major offensive" with the Somali army on Friday to recapture the town of Bariire in the Lower Shabelle region .

Over 10,000 Aussom soldiers are present in the Horn of Africa country, which does not stop the Al-Shabaab jihadists from continuing to carry out attacks.

In late June, at least seven Ugandan soldiers were killed during clashes with al Shabaab in a town in the Lower Shabelle region.

(Unioneonline)

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