Somali forces and international peacekeepers have recaptured the strategic town of Bariire from Al-Shabaab after more than a week of fierce fighting.
The Somali defence ministry confirmed on Friday that federal troops, supported by Ugandan forces under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), had “fully secured” the town.
Bariire, located about 100 kilometres west of Mogadishu in the Bas-Shabelle region, is home to a major military operational base. It fell to Al-Shabaab in March without resistance after government forces withdrew, leaving the militants to destroy a key bridge vital to army supply lines.
The August 1 offensive to retake Bariire saw intense clashes, with the ministry reporting more than 100 Al-Shabaab fighters killed. No casualty figures for AUSSOM troops were provided.
Somali and Ugandan forces are now conducting clearance operations in and around the town, seizing weapons and military supplies from the militants.
Since early last year, the Al-Qaeda-linked group has seized dozens of towns and villages, reversing gains made by Somali forces in 2022 and 2023. Despite AUSSOM’s deployment of more than 10,000 troops, Al-Shabaab has inflicted significant losses in recent months.
In late June, the group killed at least seven Ugandan soldiers in Bas-Shabelle. In March, its fighters narrowly missed an attack on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s convoy, and in April, they shelled Mogadishu’s airport.
Bariire’s recapture marks a rare victory for Somali and allied forces, offering a glimmer of hope in a war defined by reversals and shifting control.
Yet, the long struggle against Al-Shabaab continues, with the militants proving resilient and resourceful in their campaign to undermine Somalia’s fragile stability.