Government and Al-Shabaab Forces Clash, Resulting in Loss of 11 Soldiers in Southern Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A fierce firefight near Wayaanta, some 60 kilometers from Kismayo, claimed the lives of at least 11 soldiers from both Somali regional and federal units on Wednesday. The area, located in the state of Jubaland, became a hotbed of violence as government troops clashed with al-Shabaab insurgents.

Anonymously, three officials disclosed that the skirmish not only fatally impacted the forces but also left above 20 soldiers battling injuries. They further revealed that the confrontation resulted in the elimination of more than 20 al-Shabaab combatants.

This region has witnessed prior military campaigns targeting the rebels. In a notable operation last year, a key commander of al-Shabaab met his end, coinciding with a U.S. airstrike deemed “collective self-defense,” which eliminated three militants in Wayaanta.

Since 2006, al-Shabaab, affiliated with al-Qaeda, has locked horns with Somalia’s administration, holding sway over vast rural backdrops in south-central Somalia. However, the tide has changed somewhat with local troops, aided by federal forces, wrestling back significant territories since the present president took office in May 2022.

In recent developments, Somalia’s intelligence apparatus disclosed an operation, lasting 12 hours, on Sunday which led to the demise of 27 al-Shabaab militants near Yaaqle, north of Mogadishu. The mission also obliterated enemy gear and transport vehicles.

Despite these blows, al-Shabaab surges as a formidable threat, underscored by their recent mortar onslaught on an African Union base ensconced in Mogadishu’s airport, where two AU soldiers fell, and another was wounded.

AXADLETM