Somali forces killed over 100 al-Shabaab fighters in a sweeping operation, a security official said Monday. The elite Danab unit, backed by precise airstrikes, targeted areas near Awdhegle in the volatile Lower Shabelle region overnight Sunday.
The offensive, continuing into early Monday, destroyed multiple tunnels and hideouts used by the al-Qaeda-linked militants, Somali officials confirmed. Since July, Somali troops and African Union forces intensified campaigns in Lower Shabelle, aiming to dismantle the entrenched terrorist network.
Information Minister Daud Aweis described the operations as “decisive progress,” claiming over 150 militants were eliminated in recent multifront assaults. Several towns were reportedly liberated, a militant captured alive, and numerous weapons caches seized, according to government briefings Sunday.
The Somali government reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating terrorism, while refraining from specifying locations or exact timings of attacks. Al-Shabaab, waging a 16-year insurgency, continues to target security forces, officials, and civilians across Somalia with deadly attacks.
Despite persistent threats, Somali forces and local allies maintain pressure on the group, gradually reclaiming territories once dominated by militants. The Lower Shabelle region remains a strategic focus, with operations signalling a new intensity in the government’s counterterrorism campaign.