According to NISA’s statement, the first strike occurred in the village of Raage Elle, where four militants were killed. A second operation in the areas of Hawala-Kulan and Reydableey eliminated five more fighters. The third raid in El-Baraf resulted in the deaths of four additional Al-Shabaab members.

The agency also reported that its forces discovered and destroyed a hidden weapons cache and temporary shelters used by the group beneath trees in remote areas.

Senior Al-Shabaab figures are believed to be among the dead, although their identities were not immediately disclosed. The raids were carried out in response to intelligence reports indicating imminent attacks on government positions.

The offensive is part of ongoing national counterterrorism efforts to dismantle Al-Shabaab’s operations in central and southern Somalia. The group has waged a 16-year insurgency and continues to carry out attacks on Somali military targets and government officials.

NISA’s operations aim to disrupt the group’s ability to regroup and conduct asymmetric warfare in rural strongholds.