Somali airstrikes kill 54 al-Shabab fighters, defense ministry says
Mogadishu (AX) — Somali airstrikes hit the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab group across several regions, killing 54 fighters and wounding several others, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
Thursday April 16, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somali airstrikes hit the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab group across several regions, killing 54 fighters and wounding several others, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
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In a statement, the ministry said the operations took place in Hiiraan, Lower Shabelle, Bay and Lower Jubba, where the military had been tracking what it described as important militant positions over recent days.
The government said the targets were identified after surveillance indicated a rise in militant activity. Officials added that the strikes also destroyed supply depots, a blow they said would sharply reduce the group’s logistics, movement and ability to launch attacks on civilians.
The announcement came one day after Somali National Army troops, supported by regional security units, carried out a major ground offensive in southern provinces that left 27 al-Shabab fighters dead, among them senior figures.
Al-Shabab has been fighting Somalia’s federal government for more than 16 years, using bombings and targeted assaults against security forces, government officials and civilians.