Somali forces kill at least 56 Al‑Shabaab fighters in coordinated raid on Lower Jubba stronghold
Joint SNA–Jubaland operation targets Jamaame area; 20 suspects captured, hideouts destroyed
- Advertisement -
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security officials say at least 56 Al‑Shabaab fighters were killed and 20 others captured during a major operation in Lower Jubba, marking one of the most significant joint actions by federal and regional forces in the area in recent months.
The raid, described by security sources as carefully planned, was staged in and around Jamaame town, long regarded as a militant foothold. American-trained Danab Special Forces joined units from the Somali National Army (SNA) and Jubaland regional forces in the push, which was concentrated in the villages of Muse-Haji, Arare, Kobon, Bangeni, and Maleyley.
Officials said troops struck a network of militant positions and logistics sites. State media released images showing several compounds reduced to rubble, and regional authorities reported that a number of hideouts were dismantled.
Commanders and local officials said the targeted villages had been used by the group to threaten residents, extract extortion payments, and stage attacks on civilians. They characterized the outcome as a significant setback to Al‑Shabaab’s ability to operate in Lower Jubba.
The reported death toll and arrests could not be independently verified, but the figures were consistent across statements from Somali government and Jubaland officials. No civilian casualties were immediately reported. The security forces did not provide casualty figures from their side.
First joint push after recent frictions
Jubaland forces have played a central role in countering the insurgency in Somalia’s south, but cooperation with federal troops has at times been strained. Authorities said this week’s action marked the first joint operation by SNA and Jubaland units in the region after a period in which the two sides had clashed with each other.
The participation of Danab, an elite unit trained with U.S. support, underscores the Somali government’s effort to align federal and regional forces as it moves to degrade Al‑Shabaab’s remaining strongholds in the south and center of the country.
Al‑Shabaab remains entrenched in parts of the south
Despite sustained offensives, Al‑Shabaab retains the capacity to mount attacks and maintain influence in several rural areas. The Jamaame corridor, linking agricultural zones with key roadways, has been a recurrent staging ground for the group’s operations and revenue collection schemes, according to Somali officials.
Authorities framed the latest raid as part of a broader campaign to dismantle the group’s infrastructure and deny it the space to fund and plan attacks. Further operations in Lower Jubba were not immediately announced.
Al‑Shabaab did not issue an immediate response to the reported losses. The Somali government has urged residents in the affected villages to cooperate with security forces as they move to hold recaptured areas.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
