Al-Shabab stages multi-pronged attack on Beledweyne; Somali forces say they repelled assault
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Al-Shabab militants launched a coordinated attack on the central Somali city of Beledweyne late Tuesday, firing mortar rounds into a residential neighborhood before engaging Somali National Army units in street combat, according to residents and military officials.
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The assault began with a barrage targeting Bundaweyn, a neighborhood on the city’s edge, and quickly escalated into direct clashes with government troops stationed nearby. Residents described a sustained exchange of gunfire and explosives that rattled homes and sent families scrambling for cover through the night.
Military officials said government forces repelled the assault, claiming the fighters withdrew after suffering losses. “We successfully defended our positions against the Khawaarij who attacked us; they dragged away their dead and wounded,” said Ibrahim Deefow, a military officer at the scene, using a government-preferred term for the group. “While some of the mortars they fired hit residential houses and caused structural damage, there were no reported casualties among our ranks or the civilians.”
Officials did not provide casualty figures, and the claims could not be independently verified. Residents reported that the firefight and shelling continued for a significant period before subsiding toward daybreak.
The attack shattered a period of relative calm inside Beledweyne’s residential quarters, where direct urban combat has decreased in recent months even as al-Shabab continues sporadic raids and bombings across parts of Somalia. Tuesday’s strike, however, pushed the fighting back into a densely populated area, heightening fears among families who said they had grown cautiously optimistic about improving security.
Local authorities said patrols were reinforced in and around Bundaweyn following the clashes, and security forces remain on high alert amid concerns the militants could attempt follow-up attacks. Residents described an intensified presence of troops and checkpoints Wednesday morning and visible damage to several homes hit by shrapnel.
Beledweyne, a key hub in the Hiran region, has been a focal point in recent years for security operations and militant incursions. While no civilian casualties were immediately reported in the latest incident, the use of mortars inside city limits stoked anxiety about the potential for renewed urban violence and displacement.
Authorities urged vigilance as they continued sweeping operations overnight and into Wednesday, focusing on approaches to the city and suspected staging areas. There was no immediate public statement from the militants.
- What happened: Al-Shabab launched a multi-pronged attack on Beledweyne late Tuesday, starting with mortar fire on the Bundaweyn neighborhood and followed by ground assaults against Somali National Army positions.
- Damage and casualties: Mortar blasts caused structural damage to homes, but there were no immediate reports of civilian or army casualties, according to officials.
- Military response: The army said it repelled the attack and claimed the militants removed their dead and wounded. Those claims have not been independently verified.
- Security posture: Authorities increased patrols and checkpoints across Bundaweyn and maintain a heightened alert for additional attacks.
- Local impact: The raid punctured a recent period of relative calm in city neighborhoods, reviving fears of urban combat.
Details remained fluid Wednesday as security forces continued their sweep. Officials said they would release additional information after assessing the damage and reviewing overnight operations.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
