Somalia says its forces killed more than 130 al-Shabab fighters and repelled a major assault on the strategic coastal town of Kudhaa in the Lower Juba region after a prolonged battle that stretched beyond 24 hours, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.
The joint operation, led by Somali National Army units and Jubbaland regional security forces with backing from international partners, broke an attempted overrun by the al-Qaida-linked group in one of its most active southern strongholds, according to the ministry.
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- The Defense Ministry said at least 130 militants were killed in direct clashes.
- Elite Danab commandos and Jubbaland forces led the counteroffensive.
- Security forces seized vehicles and weapons as al-Shabab fighters retreated.
“This joint operation inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, killing more than 130 militants and wounding many others after a direct battle in which the forces bravely repelled the attack,” the ministry said in a statement. It added that the security of Kudhaa “and its environs is firmly in the hands of our forces.”
Officials said fighting erupted when al-Shabab mounted a coordinated push on Kudhaa, a town that sits along key maritime and inland routes used by the insurgents for movement and logistics. Government-aligned troops responded with ground maneuver and counterassaults, forcing militants to withdraw and abandon equipment. The Defense Ministry said security forces seized vehicles and weapons left behind as they retook positions in and around the town.
The ministry credited the Somali National Army’s Danab commandos with a leading role in the operation, working alongside Jubbaland Security Forces. Both formations remained on high alert Thursday to deter any renewed attacks or attempts by al-Shabab to regroup nearby, officials said.
Authorities framed the battle as a setback for al-Shabab’s capabilities in Lower Juba, a region bordering Kenya where the group has long maintained staging areas and supply corridors. Government forces have stepped up offensives there over the past year with regional and international support aimed at disrupting the insurgents’ finance and logistics while reclaiming territory.
The ministry said operations will continue “until lasting peace and stability are achieved across Somalia.” It did not provide figures on government or civilian casualties. Battlefield claims in Somalia can be difficult to independently verify in the immediate aftermath, and the ministry’s toll on al-Shabab could not be immediately corroborated by outside sources.
Al-Shabab, which seeks to topple the Somali federal government and enforce its harsh interpretation of Islamic law, frequently targets towns, military positions and public venues with complex, multi-pronged assaults. The group retains the capacity to project force across multiple regions despite sustained pressure from Somali security forces and allied partners.
Kudhaa’s location off the Lower Juba coast and its proximity to porous borderlands make it strategically significant for both the government and the insurgency. Thursday’s announcement underscores how the battle for control in southern Somalia remains fluid: areas wrested back by state-aligned forces can face rapid counterattacks, prompting authorities to surge elite units, fortify recovered positions and maintain persistent patrols to prevent insurgent re-infiltration.
The Defense Ministry and army command praised the coordination and vigilance of the units involved, describing the effort as the latest in a series of operations designed to blunt al-Shabab’s reach and fracture its ability to mass fighters for large-scale assaults. Officials urged residents to cooperate with security forces and report suspicious activity as stabilization efforts continue around Kudhaa.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
Thursday January 22, 2026
