MOGADISHU — Somali National Army Danab special forces, working with international partners, killed at least 20 al-Shabab fighters — including senior leaders — in a planned overnight operation in Somalia’s Bay region, the federal government said Saturday.
The raid struck late Friday in the Buula Fuleey area, where the militants were assembling, according to a government statement. Officials said the target was a key gathering point for the group’s commanders in the region and described the strike as a significant blow to al-Shabab’s local leadership. Security forces also destroyed a radio station the group used for propaganda and battlefield coordination, further disrupting its operational network, the statement said.
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The operation is the latest in a string of actions against the al-Qaida-linked group across southern and central Somalia. Two days earlier, Somali forces targeted senior al-Shabab figures in the Middle Juba region, the government said. On Friday, militants were repelled from the Wargaadhi area of Middle Shabelle, where government troops and allied local fighters reasserted full control after clashes.
Wargaadhi sits along a strategic corridor in Middle Shabelle that has seen repeated fighting as Somali forces and community militias push to dismantle al-Shabab’s rural strongholds. Despite sustained military pressure and support from international partners, the group continues to stage attacks on military positions and civilian communities, testing security gains and supply lines in contested districts.
Danab, an elite unit trained for counterterrorism and precision raids, has taken a central role in high-impact operations designed to disrupt al-Shabab’s leadership, logistics and communications. The unit’s deployment in Bay underscores the government’s effort to degrade the group’s command-and-control nodes while limiting the militants’ ability to mass forces or coordinate attacks across regions.
Authorities framed Friday’s raid as part of a broader campaign that is set to continue in multiple regions in the coming days. The federal government has said its priority is to prevent al-Shabab from regrouping following recent setbacks, while expanding coordination with local defense forces in areas where the insurgents retain influence.
Key developments in recent days, according to the government:
- Bay region: Overnight strike in Buula Fuleey kills at least 20 al-Shabab fighters, including senior leaders; a propaganda and coordination radio station is destroyed.
- Middle Juba: Targeted action two days earlier aimed at senior al-Shabab figures as part of rolling counterterrorism operations.
- Middle Shabelle: Government troops and allied local fighters repel a militant assault on Wargaadhi and regain full control.
Officials did not release details on potential casualties among government forces or civilians in the latest operation. The federal government has pledged to maintain pressure across Bay, Middle Juba and Middle Shabelle, saying the aim is to weaken al-Shabab’s ability to plan and execute attacks while enabling authorities and communities to reestablish services and movement in retaken areas.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
