Somali army apprehends senior al-Shabaab ringleader

MOGADISHU, Somalia

Somalia announced on Wednesday that it has apprehended a senior member of the terrorist organization al-Shahaab in the central Galgadud region.

The Somali National Army (SNA) apprehended Ali Geelle, a senior al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group al-Shabaab ringleader, during a military operation in the central region of Galgadud, the country’s Defense Ministry said in a brief statement.

“The arrest, carried out in Galhareeri district, Galgaduud region, also led to the seizure of a vehicle, a firearm, and ammunition,” the ministry stated on X, adding that Geelle was responsible for extortion and the abhorrent practice of recruiting children for the terror outfit.

The Somali National Army, backed by local militias, has been fighting al-Shabaab in south-central provinces for the past two and a half years, liberating large swaths of territory, including the strategic coastal town of Haradhere in the Mudug region.

Somalia has been plagued by insecurity for years, with the main threats emanating from al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIS terror groups.

Since 2007, al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) -- a multidimensional mission authorized by the African Union and mandated by the UN Security Council.

The terror group has stepped up attacks since Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an "all-out war" on the group.