MOGADISHU – The elite Danab Commando forces of the Somali National Army have successfully conducted a series of precise counter-terrorism operations across strategic locations in the Lower Shabelle region, dismantling a network of illegal tax collection posts operated by Al-Shabaab militants.
Operating with detailed intelligence, the commandos identified and eliminated active nodes utilized by the extremist group to extort money from local communities and transit vehicles traveling through the agricultural corridor. The tactical operation was led by the 161st Battalion of the 16th Brigade, concentrating its combat efforts on key areas including Warmaxan, Tasxiille, Shareey, 10-Buundo, Tabeellaha, and the broader Donka perimeter.
Commanders overseeing the ground assault confirmed that the elite units effectively breached the defensive positions of the group, forcing their remaining members into a disorganized withdrawal into the bushlands. During the operation, Danab forces completely destroyed numerous fortified hideouts, tactical outposts, and illegal tax collection checkpoints that had long hindered local economic activity and jeopardized the security network connecting the region to the capital.
Targeting Al-Shabaab’s Financial Network
The operation is part of a broader campaign to dismantle Al-Shabaab’s financial infrastructure in southern Somalia. The group has long relied on extortion and illegal taxation to fund its insurgency, collecting an estimated $120 million annually from farmers, traders, and vulnerable rural communities.
Danab commandos have previously eliminated terrorist hideouts in the Lower Shabelle region, uncovering elaborate tunnel systems and hidden bunkers used by militants. These operations demonstrate the commandos’ growing capability to conduct complex, intelligence-driven missions against entrenched insurgent positions.
In a similar operation in July 2025, Danab forces killed a senior Al-Shabaab leader known as “Arab,” who was in charge of the group’s extortion wing in the region. The operation also destroyed his motorcycle and seized a large amount of money and vouchers that were being extorted from local residents.
US Training and Support for Danab Forces
The Danab Brigade, whose name means “lightning” in Somali, was established in October 2013 with the support of US trainers and has grown into a several-thousand-person brigade specializing in urban warfare against Al-Shabaab. The United States recently resumed training and logistical support for the Danab Brigade at the Ballidoogle airbase in Lower Shabelle, restarting a programme that was suspended following a ration-diversion scandal in late 2023.
Danab commandos have previously destroyed Al-Shabaab boats and bases in Lower Shabelle, disrupting the group’s logistical and tactical infrastructure along the Shabelle River corridor. During one such raid, four boats used by militants to transport supplies and conduct cross-river attacks were destroyed.
Continued Offensive Against Al-Shabaab
The military leadership highlighted that these operations are part of an extensive, multi-agency campaign aimed at permanently removing the threat of violent extremism from the area. By eliminating these extortion centers, the federal government is regaining authority over critical trade routes, enhancing public safety, and stabilizing local markets.
In a major security operation, Danab commandos killed 25 Al-Shabaab militants during a planned overnight raid in Gaalware village in Lower Shabelle, recovering a cache of weapons including AK-47 rifles, an RPG-7 launcher, and a PKM machine gun.
Security forces have established fortified security zones in the liberated areas and are maintaining active forward patrols to ensure the complete removal of hostile infrastructure. The operations form part of a broader offensive by the Somali military against Al-Shabaab in Lower Shabelle, aimed at dismantling the group’s financial networks and leadership.
With the support of international partners including the United States and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), Somali forces continue to weaken Al-Shabaab’s grip on rural communities in southern and central Somalia.
