Mogadishu (AX) – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud landed in Waragadhi, nestled in the Middle Shabelle region, on Tuesday to spearhead the offensive against al-Shabab in both Hirshabelle and Galmudug territories.
Accompanied by his team, President Mohamud huddled with military leaders and local elders, mapping out swift strategies to wrest control from al-Shabab.
This past year, he’s been entrenched in the battlefront, leading efforts alongside the army to reclaim swathes of land from the militant group.
A year ago, top U.S. defense brass warned that al-Shabab had overturned all gains made by the Somali National Army in central Somalia over the past two years. They also noted that the militants were now allying with Houthi rebels to boost their firepower.
Senior U.S. defense insiders, under the shield of anonymity while discussing security matters, said the Somali National Army’s central campaign had put al-Shabab “on the ropes” for two years. Yet, within the past six months, the group managed to claw back those territories.
Somalia’s national security chief, Hussein Sheik-Ali, downplayed al-Shabab’s supposed resurgence, blasting the analysis as “bunk” on X (formerly known as Twitter).
