MOGADISHU, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Somali security forces backed by international partners killed 17 al-Shabab militants during a sting operation conducted Tuesday night in the central region, the government said Wednesday.
The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism in a statement said the security operation which was conducted by Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) and allied forces targeted terrorists who were gathering at the village of Hawadley in the Middle Shabelle region.
"All the conspirators of the enemy who were in the central area were killed, and the conspiracy of this group against the Somali people was ended," the statement said.
Hawadley is a strategic village that links the country's central and southern regions, which the militants use to transfer goods and equipment to their militants.
"The Somali National Army, which cooperates with the Somali people and regularly shares information about terrorist plots, has killed more than 150 militants and leaders of the terrorist group in the latest operations this week," the statement said.
Al-Shabab was driven out of the capital city of Mogadishu in 2011 but the terror group is still capable of conducting attacks, targeting government installations, hotels, restaurants and public places. ■
