Ma’awisley militia kills several al-Shabaab militants near Beledweyne in Dhoqor raid
BELEDWEYNE, Somalia — Local clan militia forces known as Ma’awisley killed several al-Shabaab militants during a targeted operation Thursday in Dhoqor, an area along the Shabelle River about 25 kilometers from Beledweyne in the Hiiraan region, according to local sources.
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The strike, carried out by three militia members, also resulted in the seizure of weapons from two of the dead fighters, the sources said. News of the incident spread quickly across Beledweyne and nearby communities, where Ma’awisley units have taken an increasingly assertive role alongside government forces in pushing back the insurgent group.
- Location: Dhoqor, on the banks of the Shabelle River, roughly 25 km from Beledweyne in Hiiraan
- Actors: Ma’awisley clan militia targeting al-Shabaab militants
- Outcome: Several militants killed; weapons recovered from two of the dead, per local accounts
- Context: Part of Somali National Army–led operations to degrade al-Shabaab and secure recaptured areas in eastern Hiiraan
The Ma’awisley — community defense units drawn from local clans — have emerged as a critical partner to the Somali National Army (SNA) in central Somalia. Their intimate knowledge of terrain and movement along the riverine corridor has enabled small, mobile teams to strike al-Shabaab positions and disrupt logistics.
Thursday’s operation underscores how local militias are attempting to consolidate security gains along the Shabelle River, a strategic artery for commerce, farming and transit that has also been exploited by militants for mobility and concealment. Dhoqor’s proximity to Beledweyne, a regional hub, adds to the urgency of keeping insurgents at bay.
It is not the first time Ma’awisley fighters in Hiiraan have targeted al-Shabaab in and around Beledweyne. The latest action aligns with broader SNA-led operations that have reclaimed most areas in eastern Hiiraan from the group, part of a campaign to degrade al-Shabaab’s ability to tax communities, plant roadside bombs and stage cross-border attacks.
While specific casualty figures from Thursday’s raid were not disclosed beyond accounts of “several” militants killed, the reported seizure of weapons suggests the operation disrupted at least one cell operating near the river. Local communities, often the first to feel the effects of both insurgent intimidation and counterinsurgency activity, have closely watched such actions for signs of stability taking hold.
Security dynamics in Hiiraan remain fluid, with al-Shabaab retaining the capacity to carry out asymmetric attacks even after losing territory. For the Ma’awisley and their SNA counterparts, holding recaptured ground typically requires continued patrols, rapid-response raids and coordination with residents to identify militant movement. Thursday’s incident fits that pattern: small-unit action aimed at denying insurgents freedom of maneuver and preventing re-infiltration into liberated zones.
The operation in Dhoqor will likely be read locally as a reaffirmation of the current security posture around Beledweyne — incremental but persistent pressure intended to make it harder for al-Shabaab to reconstitute cells along the Shabelle. As the SNA and allied forces seek to transition from clearing to holding and building, the role of community militias such as the Ma’awisley remains central to maintaining momentum.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
