Hiiraan, Somalia – The leader of local forces battling Al-Shabaab in Somalia’s Hiran region, Ali Jayte Osman, has refuted claims by the federal government that national troops led a recent operation that eliminated top militants.
In a media interview, Osman stated that it was domestic, community-based fighters—not government forces—who successfully neutralized key ringleaders of the Al-Qaeda-linked group in the area.
“The government’s assertion is contemptuous,” Osman said, dismissing the official narrative. He stressed that the contribution of local fighters should not be downplayed and reaffirmed their commitment to continuing operations against the extremist group.
Despite tensions over credit for battlefield gains, Osman emphasized that such remarks from Mogadishu would not weaken their resolve to push Al-Shabaab out of the region.