Mogadishu — Somali forces, backed by international partners, launched coordinated airstrikes on Sunday, 12 July, striking Al-Shabaab positions in Addow Jilib, Gayfo and Qordhere in Middle Shabelle and killing 26 fighters, the Ministry of Defence said.
The ministry said the operation targeted sites where Al-Shabaab militants had gathered, part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the group’s operational capacity. The statement added that the strikes destroyed a Toyota Land Cruiser pickup—locally known as an “Abdi-bile”—and a fuel tanker authorities say the group used to move and sustain operations.
“The operations are part of the continuous efforts by the Somali National Army to pursue Al-Shabaab leaders and fighters and weaken their ability to organize and carry out terrorist attacks,” the Ministry of Defence said in the statement released on Sunday.
The government also expressed appreciation to Somalia’s international security partners for their continued support in counterterrorism operations. “The Ministry of Defence extends its gratitude to the international partners working alongside Somalia in the fight against terrorism and its eradication,” the statement added.
Lamaane News Network could not independently verify the casualty figures or the reported destruction of equipment. Al-Shabaab had not publicly commented on the government’s claims at the time of publication, and no independent assessments of the operation were immediately available.
The reported strikes occurred in Middle Shabelle, a region that has remained a focal point of military operations against Al-Shabaab because of its strategic location and the group’s continued presence in rural areas. Somali government forces, often operating with support from international partners, have intensified air and ground operations in recent years as part of a broader campaign to reduce the group’s freedom of movement and disrupt its logistics networks.
Security analysts say air operations targeting vehicles, fuel supplies and assembly points are intended to limit the group’s mobility and operational planning, although the longer-term impact of individual strikes is often difficult to assess without independent verification from the ground.
The Ministry of Defence and the Somali National Army said they would continue operations targeting Al-Shabaab commanders and fighters until the group no longer poses a security threat to civilians.
Officials said the operation forms part of a broader military strategy aimed at degrading Al-Shabaab’s operational capabilities through sustained action supported by international partners.
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Publisher Bio: Lamaane News Network ( is a Mogadishu-based independent digital news organization covering developments in Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and international affairs, with reporting in both Somali and English. Founded on December 9, 2015, it is committed to producing factual, balanced, and timely journalism in accordance with professional editorial and ethical standards.
