Al-Shabaab Faces Significant Defeats in Central Somalia Amid Presidential Visit to Battlefront

Major Defeats for Al-Shabaab in Somalia Amid Presidential Visit

By axadle On Mar 20, 2025

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Al-Shabaab, the relentless insurgent group tied to Al-Qaeda and notorious for its long-standing threat in East Africa, has faced substantial setbacks in central Somalia. State media have been buzzing with reports of these recent developments. This comes at a pivotal moment as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud makes his inspiring visit to the troops stationed on the frontlines of this embattled nation.Visitors to the town of Adan Yabaal in central Somalia might have been surprised to find the country’s president not in a traditional suit, but instead clad in military gear. It was a powerful image, reflecting not just solidarity but also his unwavering dedication to combating Al-Shabaab. “Why wear a suit when a uniform speaks louder?” one might muse.

Latest reports indicate that the Somali security forces, equipped with insights from diligent intelligence work, engaged the militants in the central regions. The true extent of the militants’ losses remains undisclosed for now, but early indicators suggest significant casualties on their side.State media elaborated, “In Galmudug State, efforts are intensifying. The police, National Intelligence, and the Presidential Guard launched coordinated operations targeting areas around Sinadhaqo, Labi-dule, and Dhabanna Dhulkuheys in the Galgaduud region.”These concerted efforts aim to chase insurgents out of the region’s challenging, rugged landscape. With this pressing initiative, Al-Shabaab is on the brink of losing several strategic footholds. But why has this extremist group clung so tenaciously to these particular regions?

On the ground, Dhuusamareeb District Commissioner, Abdirahmaan Cali Maxamed, often referred to by locals as Geeda Qorow, was right in the thick of it, joining forces with the security teams on a personal mission for peace. He poignantly urged the locals: “Only together with the community can we strengthen our nation’s peace and fuel our development.” This brings forward a fundamental question: what roles can the ordinary citizen play in national security?The collaboration extends beyond just Somali hands. The US Africa Command and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) lend invaluable support. They are crucial allies, offering resources and reinforcement to the Somali National Army and local militias in frescoes of defiant camaraderie amidst intense battles against the insurgents.

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The fight against Al-Shabaab isn’t just boots on the ground. Somalia’s government has been systematically dismantling many of the financial pillars that prop up Al-Shabaab. Illegal roadblocks, previously a source of dirty revenues in the bountiful segments of the country, have been dismantled.Broader financial tactics are also in play. The government has clamped down on propaganda outlets, blacklisting various websites and social media pages linked to Al-Shabaab. Even the veins of financial transactions—mobile money networks and suspect bank accounts—have been severed, disrupting their lifelines. Such comprehensive maneuvers, both overt and clandestine, aim to suffocate one simple truth: money fuels militancy.

Edited By Ali Musa, Axadle Times International—Monitoring

Source: AXADLETM