Mogadishu (AX) — Jubbaland’s security forces have taken down nearly 10 Al-Shabaab rebels in a daring military escapade near Janaay Abdalla, a village lying close to Kismayo, as officials revealed on Tuesday.
The skirmish erupted when the Darawish division of Jubbaland launched a proactive assault against suspicious Al-Shabaab operatives, alleged to be devising an offensive on the town. The militants had intentions of recapturing Janaay Abdalla, a place often under siege since they were initially expelled.
“We managed to neutralize almost 10 militants and wounded several others in the confrontation,” stated a Jubbaland officer to national media, under the cloak of anonymity.
Janaay Abdalla, nestled in the turbulent Lower Juba region, holds strategic significance for safeguarding Kismayo, the heartbeat of Jubbaland. Al-Shabaab, which once had a chokehold over vast expanses of the area, has relentlessly tried to reclaim it through a slew of attacks.
Although Jubbaland’s forces, backed by Somali federal troops and global allies, have maintained a grip on the town, the insurgents persist as a predominant menace in the vicinity. This confrontation is a snippet of a grander tussle between Somali government forces and the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, which has been waging an insurgency for more than a decade.
Even with notable triumphs in retaking crucial territories from Al-Shabaab, officials caution that holding onto these areas and thwarting future onslaughts remain formidable hurdles.
