Somali forces kill 27 al-Shabab fighters in Jubbaland State

Tuesday April 14, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Somali national forces, working alongside regional security units and international partners, killed 27 al-Shabab fighters in a major offensive across the Middle and Lower Juba regions, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

According to the ministry, the strikes focused on militant positions in areas under the districts of Jilib, Hagar and Afmadow as ground troops pressed forward against the al-Qaida-linked group.

“During the course of these ground operations, airstrikes supported by international partners were carried out in parallel, effectively intensifying the targeting of al-Shabab militants hiding in those areas,” the ministry said in a statement.

The statement also said soldiers recovered weapons, military equipment and landmines that the group had allegedly prepared for attacks on civilians and security forces.

The ministry said the operation is still under way as forces continue to track down surviving fighters and consolidate control over areas cleared in the assault.

Al-Shabab has fought a prolonged insurgency against Somalia’s federal government for more than 16 years, staging bombings and targeted attacks against security personnel, government officials and civilians.

Since July, Somali forces, with support from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and other international partners, have stepped up coordinated operations aimed at degrading the group’s ability to operate in southern and central Somalia.