Somali army seizes Hawaadley hideout in Middle Shabelle as new offensive targets Al Shabab
Somalia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday the national army has taken control of Hawaadley in the Middle Shabelle region, describing the area as a long-used hideout for the Al-Qaeda-linked Al Shabab. The advance is part of a newly launched push under Operation Badr to dismantle the group’s “safe havens.”
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The ministry said troops are conducting clearance operations to secure recently captured zones, pursuing remaining fighters and removing improvised threats. It said several Al Shabab positions and storage facilities were destroyed in the latest phase, without providing casualty figures.
The Hawaadley operation comes amid an intensifying tempo against the insurgency, with commanders saying counterterrorism missions will continue to expand across priority corridors in southern and central Somalia. Officials cast the gains as building momentum for a broader campaign aimed at disrupting supply chains and denying the group freedom of movement.
Authorities said the new phase includes Operation Rolling Thunder, announced March 1 and folded into the wider Badr offensive. Rolling Thunder is backed by international partners, including Ugandan troops serving with the African Union mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), according to the ministry.
- Somali forces secured Hawaadley, a Middle Shabelle area previously used as an Al Shabab hideout.
- Operation Badr, and its sub-campaign Rolling Thunder, are targeting “safe havens” and logistics nodes.
- The Defense Ministry reported the destruction of militant positions and storage sites.
- Ugandan forces under AUSSOM are among international partners supporting the push.
Somalia’s renewed tempo reflects a strategy that has accelerated since last July, when the army, AUSSOM and other partners stepped up joint operations against Al Shabab strongholds. Officials say the approach combines ground offensives with targeted efforts to secure retaken territory and prevent militants from regrouping nearby.
The United Nations Security Council extended AUSSOM’s mandate for another year in December through a UK-backed resolution, authorizing operations until Dec. 31. The renewal preserves a key pillar of the multinational support architecture that Somali commanders rely on for logistics, force protection and coordination in complex terrain.
Al Shabab has waged an insurgency for more than 16 years, frequently targeting security forces, government officials and civilians. While the group retains the capacity to stage attacks, Somali authorities argue sustained pressure is eroding its rural sanctuary network and constraining its ability to mass fighters or move materiel.
Military officials said Wednesday’s advance in Hawaadley is being followed by stabilization measures designed to lock in gains, including route clearance and site security around recently captured positions. They pledged further operations as planners identify additional safe havens and supply sites to strike in the coming weeks.
The ministry did not specify timelines or release detailed maps of the areas retaken under Operation Badr, but stressed the goal remains consistent: to degrade Al Shabab’s infrastructure, deny the group staging grounds and expand secure areas for local governance and services to take root.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
