Somali army airstrikes kill 35 al-Shabaab militants

MOGADISHU, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The Somali National Army, supported by international security partners, conducted a series of airstrikes in the Godey area of southern Somalia on Tuesday, killing 35 al-Shabaab militants, the Ministry of Defense said.

The ministry said the joint strikes also injured 20 other militants, specifically targeting the group's network of caves, weapons caches, and hideouts.

It added that the initial strikes triggered a series of large secondary explosions at the scene, indicating the presence of hidden weapons stockpiles, explosive materials, and enemy military supplies.

"The site was also occupied by militants and vehicles loaded with explosives that had been prepared for use in terrorist attacks against Somalia," the ministry said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Enditem