MOGADISHU (SD) – At least two hundred al-Shabaab militants have been killed and dozens more militants were wounded in a three-week-long operation against the group, military officials confirmed Monday.

Somali national army (SNA) officials who spoke to the state-owned media said Somali forces succeeded to liberate four towns and eight villages in central Somalia.

The forces also destroyed training bases belonging to al-Shabaab militant group.

“More than 200 Al-Shabab militants were killed, 16 bases destroyed, 4 towns and 8 villages liberated during a three-week anti-terrorism operation conducted by Somali National Army and Galmudug’s regional forces in southern Mudug region,” SNA officials confirmed to Mogadishu Radio.

Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate organization has not yet commented the claims by Somali military.

The remarks by the officials come two days after two senior al-Shabab fighters surrendered to government forces in the Galgaduud region of central Somalia.

According to SONNA, Mowliid Omar and Mohamed Nur who had staged terror attacks in the region in the past renounced their ideology after realizing the suffering of their fellow citizens.

Somali military have recently stepped-up operations by government forces against al-Shabaab in central and southern parts of Somalia where the militants still control swathes of rural areas.