MOGADISHU (SD) – Somali police have arrested two suspected al-Shabaab recruits in central Somalia amid enhanced security operations against the militants across the country.

Speaking to the media, Abdi Yare, a police captain said the two who were identified as Jaabir Hassan Dirie and Yusuf Abdirisak travelled from Hargeisa town.

“These boys were recruited from Hargeisa and were heading to a militant training camp in Hiiraan region,” Captain Yare. “We have received their information and the final destination of their travel.”

According to police source, the supects were travelling to Luuq-Jeelow, an al-Shabaab-controlled village in Hiiraan region.

The development comes barely hours after Somali military claimed that more than 60 Al-Shabaab militants, including foreign fighters, were killed in an explosion at a village about 65 kilometers west of Qoryooley in Lower Shabelle region.

The Somali National Army (SNA) said that the Al-Qaeda-allied terrorists died in the blast which took place at their compound in Ala-Futow village after the bomb which was being assembled exploded.

The militant group did not comment on the claims by Somali military.