Somali Government Reports Successful Defense, 130 Militants Neutralized in Base Attacks
FILE – Somali National Army soldiers stand vigilant against the notorious al-Shabab militants in the Middle Shabelle region of Somalia on Dec. 10, 2012. Fast forward to Feb. 20, 2025, when Somali authorities reported a significant victory. The sobering reality of more than 100 al-Shabab militants losing their lives in the conflict serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle.
In a decisive show of resilience, Somali National Army troops thwarted assaults on four strategically crucial military bases on Thursday. The rhythm of life in central Somalia bore witness to this relentless fight, where 130 militants met their demise. Yet, VOA Somali encountered challenges in verifying this staggering toll as government forces faced-off against al-Shabab, which has peppered the region with conflict time and again.
A candid statement from Somalia’s Ministry of Information sheds light on the aggressive attack method employed by these militants. Explosives were unleashed upon the bases in Middle Shabelle, but fate spared the defenders from greater harm. “Al-Shabab suffered a heavy defeat,” the ministry declared, adding that Somalia’s indomitable spirit will remain unyielding in its crusade against terrorism. The victorious forces also reclaimed a cache of weapons from their vanquished foes, symbolizing a future tenured with hope and resistance.
Reflecting on recent weeks, this drive for security has not wavered. Joint operations by Somali government forces and local clan militias have been the soundtrack of the region’s push against insurgency. Their tireless efforts were dedicated to securing rural hamlets along the Shabelle River, newly freed from the clutches of al-Shabab’s grip.
General Ibrahim Mumin, esteemed commander of the 3rd Division of the Somali National Army, openly shared with VOA Somali how Thursday’s attacks were successfully countered. “Failed,” he stated somberly, as the government’s defensive vigilance thwarted explosives from breaching the bases. How many stories of struggle would be different if not for such foresight?
Yet, even amid victory, the price of valor is exacting. Unspoken tears linger as a local voice whispered to VOA of the loss—at least five soldiers felled, with over ten others nursing their wounds. In separate violent confrontations that same day, triumph had a different face in Somalia’s northeastern Northeastern State region. Here, the heavy toll on Islamic State militants reached at least 20 killed, leaving scores more injured.
Brigadier General Mumin Abdi Shire, Northeastern State’s stoic police commissioner, spoke openly of the cost to the clandestine ranks of the Islamic State. “Our brave men”—how often do we forget the flesh and blood behind such a phrase—spearheaded operations in the villages of Dhasaq and Dandamale, uncannily close to the rugged Cal Miskaad mountains. They emerged victorious, the souls marked “foreigners” ceased in violence.
Since 2007, al-Shabab has etched a path of vexation and bloodshed, seeking enforcement of an uncompromising interpretation of Islamic law. Meanwhile, Northeastern State’s strategic offensive against the Islamic State initiated in December heralds near 200 fighters claimed—clearly punctuated by villages and strongholds wrestled from militant control.
Across the ocean of sand and heat, even U.S. warplanes joined the fray this month, targeting an elusive menace nestled in lofty mountainous quarters. Their strikes purportedly dispatched figures like Ahmed Maeleninine, an Omani whose leadership once steered the Islamic State’s destiny, now an echo of the past.
As daylight touches the horizon over Mid Shabelle and Northeastern State’s rugged terrain, the tenacity of Somali soldiers stands unabated—a poignant testament to those risking all for a Somalia unsullied by fear.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring
