Joint Operations Intensify Against Al-Shabaab in Jubaland

KISMAYO – Military operations against Al-Shabaab have intensified in recent days in Somalia’s southern Jubaland region, where regional and national forces are carrying out coordinated offensives targeting militant bases and logistical hubs in the Dhasheeg-Waamo area of Lower Juba, officials said.

Jubaland forces and the Somali National Army (SNA) are conducting joint ground assaults and airstrikes aimed at dismantling insurgent positions, with military commanders saying the operations would continue until Al-Shabaab fighters are cleared from the remaining areas where they still have a presence in Jubaland. The campaign builds on previous successful advances in the region.

The Somali National Army, in coordination with Jubbaland Security Forces, has launched a major military operation spanning areas in Lower and Middle Juba regions, targeting Al-Shabaab positions in strategic locations. Military activities are focused in districts including Jilib, Xagar, and Afmadow, specifically in locations such as Waraha Qalley, Farshabeel, Jigees, Qawiley, and Weelmaarow, where ground troops have advanced to dismantle militant strongholds.

Joint Forces and Elite Units Lead Offensive

The operation features the elite U.S.-trained Danab commandos of the SNA, supported by Jubbaland’s regional special forces, who have spearheaded the advance, capturing key positions and securing major access routes. In November 2025, Danab commandos seized key positions in Lower Jubba in one of the most consequential military operations mounted in the region in recent years, capturing the Araare Bridge and securing major access roads leading directly toward Jamame, a district long considered a fortified sanctuary for Al-Shabaab.

Jubbaland regional forces, reinforced by the SNA, are making significant strides against Al-Shabaab, reclaiming territories beyond Kismayo and tightening the squeeze on the militants’ once-firm strongholds. Recent advances have brought troops to Jamaame, a key Al-Shabaab hub in Lower Jubba, notorious for orchestrating attacks on civilians and security personnel across Somalia. Jubbaland and SNA Danab forces have already liberated surrounding villages, including Araare, Muusa Xaaji, Koban, and Bangeeni, establishing secure corridors for humanitarian aid and stationing police and relief teams to protect residents.

Airstrikes and International Support

Security sources indicate that the current offensive has been strengthened through coordinated airstrikes with assistance from international allies, mounting substantial pressure on militant hideouts throughout the area. In January 2026, coordinated strikes in the Saakow District of Middle Juba Region targeted and fully demolished Al-Shabaab’s largest explosives manufacturing plant, resulting in the deaths of 18 militants, including specialized bomb-makers actively preparing devices to target Somali civilians.

The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), conducting highly synchronized precision operations alongside international security partners, has previously eliminated senior commanders within Al-Shabaab networks across Middle Juba and Lower Shabelle regions. Those strategic operations targeted and destroyed critical leadership elements responsible for international terror coordination and domestic suicide missions.

Significant Casualties and Seized Weapons

The military campaign in the Juba regions has delivered a significant blow to Al-Shabaab, resulting in the deaths of 27 militants, including senior commanders within the organization. Authorities have also confiscated substantial quantities of weaponry and military supplies, such as BKM machine guns, RPG launchers, AK-47 rifles, and explosive materials planned for use against civilian and security targets.

The National Armed Forces, working with international partners, conducted six airstrikes in Tardho (Hiiraan), Ugunji (Lower Shabelle), Daynuunaay (Bay), and Qumbi (Lower Jubba). These operations targeted Al-Shabaab positions after recent surveillance detected militant activity in the areas, destroying key enemy strongholds. The airstrikes across the four regions resulted in an additional 54 Al-Shabaab militants killed and several others wounded.

Strategic Coordination and Future Operations

Jubaland Information Minister Abdifatah Mohamed Mukhtar praised the troops involved in the campaign, describing their efforts as vital to restoring security and stability in the region. He said recent gains showed the capability and coordination of the security forces, urging them to maintain pressure on the militant group until lasting peace is achieved and Al-Shabaab is fully removed from Jubaland territories.

Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam recently hosted Maj. Gen. Claude K. Tudor Jr., commander of Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA), in Kismayo to enhance regional cooperation in the ongoing fight against Al-Shabaab. The high-level meeting centered heavily on reinforcing strategic military alliances and intensifying joint counterterrorism operations against Al-Shabaab militants.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has issued a strong commendation to the elite Danab Special Forces and Jubbaland regional security forces following a successful military operation in the Lower Juba region. The Prime Minister lauded the combat preparedness of the joint forces, who effectively neutralized a major assault by Al-Shabaab militants on the strategically important coastal town of Kudhaa.

Security leaders highlight that these victories not only weaken the militants’ positions but also create openings for lasting stability and safety in southern Somalia. Al-Shabaab has historically relied on Jilib as its main stronghold, resisting multiple attempts to dislodge the group. Recent operations brought forces close to breaking Al-Shabaab’s grip on Jamaame, signaling the potential end of the group’s 16-year control over the town. Jilib now remains the primary focus of ongoing security efforts, as Jubbaland and SNA troops press forward in a pivotal campaign to restore order and security across southern Somalia.

Despite sustained military pressure from Somali and allied forces, Al-Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for more than 15 years, continues to carry out attacks in parts of southern and central Somalia.