Somali Forces Kill 22 Al-Shabaab Militants, Including Commander, in Lower Shabelle

LOWER SHABELLE — The Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF), with tactical support from international partners, have concluded a 72-hour planned security operation across the Buulo Cabdalla corridor, located between the villages of Mubaarak and Ugunji in the Lower Shabelle region, military sources confirmed Wednesday. The operation, which involved coordinated ground assaults and precision aerial bombardments, resulted in the death of 22 Al-Shabaab militants, including their regional commander, Cabdiraxmaan Jeeri.

According to an official statement from the Ministry of Defence, Cabdiraxmaan Jeeri—who was locally designated as a high-value target—was responsible for orchestrating systematic intimidation campaigns and executing summary killings against civilian populations in the surrounding areas. The military campaign forms part of a broader, intensifying offensive to dismantle militant strongholds in the region.

The Ministry of Defence and the Somali National Army Command have reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining operational pressure, stating that these tactical actions will continue until the remaining “Khawaarij” elements are fully neutralized and national security is restored. The Ministry also extended formal gratitude to international allies for their logistical and technical support in executing operations aimed at promoting long-term peace in Somalia.

Building on Recent Gains in Lower Shabelle

The recent confrontation follows a pattern of escalated military engagements in the region. In late March, SNAF forces, operating alongside Ugandan peacekeepers, successfully repelled a major militant offensive targeting the strategic town of Mubarak (also referenced as Mubaarak), resulting in the deaths of over 40 Al-Shabaab fighters. Additionally, security forces have actively targeted militant financial networks; in January, a senior Al-Shabaab financial commander, Abdullahi Hassan Abdi Osoble, was eliminated in a targeted NISA operation in the Kuunyo Barrow area of Lower Shabelle.

Efforts to secure supply routes and dismantle extortion hubs are also underway. Earlier this month, Somali police anti-terrorism forces eliminated a militant leader responsible for extortion at an illegal checkpoint in the Jambaluul area of the region.

Wider National Counter-Offensive

The operation in Lower Shabelle aligns with a wider surge in military activities across both southern and central Somalia. In a coordinated push earlier this year, Somali security forces, supported by international partners, struck key militant strongholds in the Bay, Middle Juba, and Lower Shabelle regions, involving elite Danab commandos and airstrikes that targeted the group’s leadership and infrastructure. Simultaneously, in the Mudug region, an intelligence-led airstrike killed approximately 70 Al-Shabaab militants and destroyed eight military vehicles, disrupting supply chains and command structures in the central zones.

The federal government continues to emphasize that counter-terrorism efforts will not relent until all militant hideouts are cleared and lasting security is established for the Somali population.