Reports indicate that Somali National Army (SNA) troops rescued 33 children Al-Shabaab had recruited and started training as soldiers.
In a sophisticated military operation carried out on Friday in Kuntuwarey, soldiers freed the child soldiers.
Kuntuwarey, which is in the southern parts of the country between Mogadishu and Barawe Port, has been a hideout for Al-Shabaab fighters for years.
Ugandan People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) has been manning the region as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
UPDF soldiers helped their SNA counterparts during Friday’s operation.
They discovered a group of children who were being trained to handle guns in direct contravention of international conventions banning the use of children as soldiers.
During the mission, several prisoners were also liberated.
Furthermore, UPDF and SNA commanders confirmed that their soldiers killed several Al-Shabaab fighters although the exact number of fatalities remains unknown.
Reports indicate that members of the Al-Qaeda linked group had captured the kids from their homes located in various parts of Lower Shabelle.