On Monday, the Somali National Army (SNA) conducted an operation targeting a senior Al-Shabaab militant, Daud Mohamed Maleele, who was responsible for extorting communities and conducting reconnaissance in the Afgoye district.
This operation is part of the SNA’s broader efforts to combat Al-Shabaab, which controls significant portions of rural central and southern Somalia. The SNA has been actively targeting Al-Shabaab’s financial and operational centers, including extortion hubs, to disrupt the group’s activities and weaken its influence.
Al-Shabaab has been known to extort money from local communities, using these funds to finance their operations, including the purchase of weapons. The group’s extortion activities are a significant source of revenue, with reports indicating that they allocate millions of dollars annually for weapon procurement. The SNA’s operations, often conducted with the support of local militias and international partners, aim to dismantle these financial networks and liberate areas under Al-Shabaab control.
The killing of Daud Mohamed Maleele marks a significant blow to Al-Shabaab’s operations in the Afgoye district, as he was a key figure in the group’s extortion and reconnaissance activities. The SNA’s continued efforts to target high-ranking militants and disrupt their financial infrastructure are crucial steps in the broader campaign to counter Al-Shabaab’s influence in Somalia.