Somali Government and Jubbaland Forces Kill 56 al-Shabaab Fighters in Major Lower Juba Operation

Somalia: Allied forces report 56 al-Shabaab killed in Lower Juba operation

Jubbaland State forces, the Somali National Army and U.S.-trained Danab commandos launched a coordinated sweep across Jamaame district on Sunday, striking multiple militant sites at once. Authorities described the multi-front push as a highly planned operation aimed at weakening al-Shabaab’s rural grip.

• Security officials said at least 56 al-Shabaab fighters were killed and 20 others captured alive.
• The allied units moved simultaneously to overwhelm the group’s positions.
• Officials framed the action as part of a sustained security push in southern Somalia.

Strikes hit villages used as staging and extortion hubs

The operation targeted Muse-Haji, Arare, Kobon, Bangeni and Maleyley—villages in Lower Juba that officials say militants have long used to stage attacks, collect illicit payments and pressure local communities. The sites lie within Jamaame district, an area where al-Shabaab has maintained entrenched pockets.

• Commanders said the locations were selected for their logistical and operational importance to the group.
• Forces advanced on multiple axes to limit militant movement and response.
• Local officials said the actions aimed to ease intimidation of residents.

Hideouts destroyed; mass arrests reported

Jubbaland authorities said militant hideouts in the targeted villages were destroyed, calling the losses a significant setback for al-Shabaab in Lower Juba. State media distributed images showing razed compounds and seized equipment, underscoring claims of extensive damage to the group’s infrastructure.

• Twenty suspects were detained in what officials described as one of the region’s largest recent captures.
• Authorities said matériel was seized during the raids; details were not immediately disclosed.
• No independent casualty figures were available, and officials did not report allied losses.

Part of wider campaign to clear rural strongholds

Army officials said the push is tied to a broader effort to dislodge al-Shabaab from rural areas of southern Somalia where the group has retained influence. They said operations would continue with the aim of restoring normal life and strengthening government control in the Juba regions.

• Officials linked the operation to national stabilization plans and territory recovery.
• No timetable was given for the next phase of clearing operations.
• Authorities said additional security measures would follow in recently cleared areas.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.