MOGADISHU, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Somali Ministry of Defense has confirmed that more than 70 al-Shabab fighters were killed during a four-day joint operation carried out in the strategic town of Bariire in the southern part of the country.

The ministry said on Monday that the successful and well-coordinated operation by the Somali National Army (SNA) and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, backed by international partners, specifically targeted key al-Shabab strongholds around the town, breaking through their defensive positions.

"The four-day operation achieved significant gains, despite the loss of two SNA soldiers who were martyred in action. An additional 12 soldiers sustained minor injuries and received prompt medical attention," the ministry said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Monday evening.

The ministry said the operation, part of the broader "Silent Storm" campaign, thwarted a suicide attack attempt by the al-Shabab militants involving two explosives-laden vehicles targeting the joint forces, and delivered a decisive blow to the terror group.

"Over 70 militants were killed during the assault, and multiple enemy positions were neutralized," it said, reiterating the government's firm commitment to eradicating al-Shabab from across the country and ensuring long-term peace and stability for the Somali people.

The agriculturally rich Bariire, which lies about 60 km southwest of Mogadishu, is one of the strategic areas located in the Lower Shabelle region along the Shabelle River. ■