AUSSOM commander tours liberated Mubarak, Somalia, as joint forces cement gains

AU commander tours recaptured Somali town of Mubarak after joint offensive against al-Shabab

MOGADISHU — The commander of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) on Friday visited the newly secured town of Mubarak in Lower Shabelle to assess troop readiness after a joint operation that pushed al-Shabab fighters from key positions south of Mogadishu.

Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma toured security positions in and around Mubarak with senior Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) commanders, meeting soldiers involved in the offensive that also brought nearby Daarusalaam under government and African Union control.

Somali forces carried out the operation with support from AUSSOM contingents, including units from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), as part of an ongoing campaign to dismantle militant strongholds and sever staging routes used to threaten the capital and surrounding districts.

Kavuma praised the “resilience, bravery and commitment” of the joint forces and credited coordinated planning and execution for the battlefield gains. He thanked AUSSOM leadership, UPDF contingents, Somali troops and international partners for what he described as continued sacrifice in support of Somalia’s security transition.

Sector One Commander Brig. Gen. Jackson Kayanja said morale remained high among units that took part in the offensive and that the focus now is on consolidating gains to prevent al-Shabab from regrouping.

Battle Group 44 Commander Col. Owiny Akena, who served as the field commander for the operation, confirmed that Mubarak and Daarusalaam are fully under joint control.

On behalf of the Somali army, Lt. Sayidnuur Abdullah Warsame thanked AUSSOM for its support and said close cooperation between Somali and African Union forces had been critical to the success of the mission.

During a meeting with local residents, Kavuma thanked the community for cooperating with security forces and urged continued efforts toward stabilization and economic recovery as areas reopen under government authority.

Community members welcomed the presence of Somali and African Union troops, saying improved security could allow displaced families to consider returning and local markets to resume operations in coming days and weeks.

Mubarak has long been considered a strategic node for al-Shabab in Lower Shabelle, serving as a transit and staging area for attacks on Mogadishu and nearby districts. Its capture, along with Daarusalaam, deprives the insurgents of a logistics corridor and launchpad used to move fighters and materiel closer to the capital.

Commanders said the joint force will prioritize holding ground and strengthening security positions established during the operation, part of a broader campaign to degrade the group’s capacity to threaten population centers and major roads in south-central Somalia.

Key facts:

• Towns secured: Mubarak and Daarusalaam in Lower Shabelle
• Forces involved: Somali National Armed Forces and AUSSOM, including UPDF elements
• Leaders on the ground: Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma; Brig. Gen. Jackson Kayanja; Col. Owiny Akena; Lt. Sayidnuur Abdullah Warsame
• Community outlook: Residents say improved security could spur returns and market reopenings

The visit underscores AUSSOM’s push to pair frontline gains with stabilization measures as Somalia advances its security transition. Officials framed the operation as a step in a sustained campaign targeting militant command nodes and supply chains that have fed attacks in the capital and across Lower Shabelle.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.

Monday March 9, 2026