Tuesday June 30, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somali National Army troops, operating alongside the Turkish Armed Forces, killed 35 al-Shabab militants and wounded more than 20 others in an airstrike in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, the Ministry of Defense said Tuesday.
In a statement, the ministry said the strike was carried out Tuesday morning in the Godey area, where the militants were believed to be hiding at the time.
“The Somali National Army, in cooperation with the Turkish Armed Forces, carried out airstrikes using F-16 fighter jets this morning in the Godey area of the Lower Shabelle region, targeting bunkers, weapons caches and shelters of al-Shabab militants,” the ministry said.
The ministry said the force of the explosions was significant, suggesting that arms, explosives and military hardware had been stored at the site.
It added that the location also served as a gathering point for militants who were preparing attacks against Somali civilians.
The Ministry of Defense thanked the Somali public for backing military operations against al-Shabab and said the offensive against the group would go on.
The ministry said the Somali National Army remains committed to removing the threat posed by al-Shabab and safeguarding the Somali people.
Al-Shabab has not publicly commented on the government’s claims.
