Battle Near Buurhakaba Leaves Somalia’s Federal Forces With Heavy Losses
MOGADISHU— Somalia’s federal government forces reportedly suffered significant casualties and lost dozens of military vehicles in intense clashes between Leego and Jameecada, as they pushed toward Buurhakaba in the Bay region.
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The deployment included troops from the elite Gorgor and Danab units, sent to seize Buurhakaba, a town roughly 60 kilometres from Baidoa. The area remains under the control of forces loyal to Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, better known as Laftagareen, the exiled president of South West State.
The offensive forms part of Villa Somalia’s attempt to expand its control over South West State by backing a rival administration in Baidoa. That administration is led by former Federal Parliament Speaker Aden Mohamed Nur, widely known as Aden Madobe, whose term has also expired. The process that produced the rival authority remains contested.
Madobe, who has spent recent days in Mogadishu, reportedly made his return to Baidoa dependent on federal troops first recapturing Buurhakaba. At the same time, forces aligned with Laftagareen have taken control of several locations in the Bay and Bakool regions.
Security sources said officers overseeing the federal advance had cautioned against using the Mogadishu–Baidoa highway, which has faced repeated Al-Shabaab attacks for years. Their warnings were reportedly overruled, and commanders were instructed to continue with the operation.
After contending with heavy rain and poor road conditions, the troops faced a series of ambushes before coming under a sustained assault near Jameecada. Reports said numerous soldiers were killed and 36 military vehicles were lost, among them six Turkish-made Kirpi armoured vehicles.
Mahad Caamir, Anas Dheere, Jeego, Abdikarim and Ahmed Gaashaan were among the officers reported missing. Halac, who commands the 64th Battalion of the 7th Brigade, was reportedly wounded.
Online platforms supportive of Al-Shabaab shared photographs and videos said to show vehicles seized from federal forces, as well as others destroyed in the battle. Other reports claimed Turkish military aircraft accidentally bombed Somali government troops, possibly adding to the losses.
The clashes came after federal forces conducted operations along the Mogadishu–Baidoa highway, including fighting near Leego on October 24. The location has a history of major battles, including Al-Shabaab’s deadly 2015 attack on Burundian troops serving with the African Union mission.
The latest violence has also intensified regional concern over Somalia’s political standoff. Uganda has reportedly warned that it may withdraw its forces from Somalia if the country’s widening political disputes remain unresolved.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Uganda on October 26, shortly after declaring plans for a national consultative meeting involving opposition figures and regional administrations.
The latest operation raises questions about why Villa Somalia has chosen to commit troops and equipment along a highway long beset by insecurity. The offensive appears closely connected to efforts to reinforce Aden Madobe’s administration, rather than to the immediate security needs of the strategic Mogadishu–Baidoa corridor.
