Mogadishu (AX) — The Federal Government of Somalia has announced that its security forces have taken control of more than 55% of the territory previously held by al-Shabab and ISIS over the past five years, a development that has restored the freedom of at least 1.5 million people who had been living under their rule.
National Security Adviser Aweys Haji Yusuf Ahmed announced the figures at the 2026 Global Security Forum, held this week in Doha, Qatar, highlighting key gains made in operations against armed groups.
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“If we look back at Somalia’s security efforts over the past five years, the operations carried out have resulted in more than half of the territory held by these groups being returned to government control,” Ahmed said.
He also said that government measures had reduced the groups’ financial resources by 35%, while attacks they carried out in major Somali cities had declined by approximately 89%.
There has so far been no independent verification of the figures released, and Ahmed did not provide detailed data showing how the recovered territory, financial reductions or decline in attacks were measured.
Ahmed added that military operations had significantly weakened al-Shabab and ISIS and enabled the government to restore administrative systems in areas previously controlled by the groups.
He stressed that Somalia’s security challenges are not confined to its borders, warning that militant attacks, organized crime and instability pose a serious threat to the wider Horn of Africa region.
The national security adviser called for stronger cooperation among countries in the region, particularly in combating terrorism, sharing intelligence, securing borders and preventing cross-border organized crime.
“Somalia remains committed to working with neighboring countries and international partners to prevent armed groups from exploiting security gaps in the region,” he added.
Somalia has been conducting a series of military operations against al-Shabab, with local forces and international security partners playing a major role.
However, the armed group continues to carry out attacks targeting government military bases and civilian sites, and remains active in parts of southern and central Somalia.
The latest government report comes as extensive efforts are under way to strengthen control over recovered areas, reinforce local administrations and prevent militants from returning to territory taken from them by security forces.
