Somalia, AU forces capture senior al-Shabaab commander

Saturday April 4, 2026

A senior al-Shabaab commander has been captured in southern Somalia in a joint operation carried out by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and the Somali National Armed Forces.

In a statement, the AU mission said the suspect, identified as Salaad Cusmaan Macalin, also known as Sahm, was detained on Thursday on the northwestern outskirts of Mubarak.

“Initial interrogation findings indicate that one of his associates, identified as Ismaaciil, a Kenyan national, had volunteered for a suicide mission as part of a planned attack,” AUSSOM said in a statement.

AUSSOM said the 40-year-old Salaad was seized while he was scouting defensive positions ahead of an intended assault.

He was reportedly moving with a group of fighters, among them 17 foreign militants recently sent from al-Shabaab’s command center in Jilib, in the Middle Juba region. Another member of the group, identified as Salman, escaped during the operation.

According to AUSSOM, Salaad joined al-Shabaab in 2009 and has since become an influential operational figure involved in organizing and carrying out militant attacks, especially in Mogadishu and nearby areas.

AUSSOM Sector One Commander Jackson Kayanja praised the joint forces for what he described as a successful operation, highlighting their vigilance and professionalism.

Kayanja also called on local leaders and communities to work closely with security forces in confronting terrorist threats and helping to reinforce stability across Somalia.