On Wednesday, intense fighting erupted between Somali government forces and militants in southern Somalia, resulting in the deaths of at least 11 Somali regional and federal soldiers, officials reported.
The battle occurred near Wayaanta, approximately 60 kilometers southwest of Kismayo in Jubaland state, as government troops advanced on an area believed to host militant gatherings. According to three officials with direct knowledge of the incident, who requested anonymity due to restrictions, over 20 other soldiers were injured. One source estimated that more than 20 Alshabab fighters were also killed during the clash.
In a similar operation last year in the same vicinity, Somali forces targeted and killed an Alshabab commander, identified as the deputy emir for the area. The U.S. military assisted by conducting an airstrike that killed three Alshabab militants in a “collective self-defense” mission.
Alshabab has opposed Somali administrations since 2006, holding control over extensive rural regions in south-central Somalia. Since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud assumed office in May 2022, locally organized militias and federal forces have regained substantial territories from Alshabab in central regions.
Just days prior, on Sunday, Somalia’s intelligence agency reported that a 12-hour operation in the Yaaqle region, 50 kilometers north of Mogadishu, resulted in 27 Alshabab fighters killed. The agency stated that militants were allegedly preparing attacks on the public, and various vehicles and equipment were destroyed in the operation.
Despite these setbacks, Alshabab remains a significant threat. That same day, the group conducted a mortar attack on an African Union base within the Mogadishu airport perimeter, killing two soldiers and wounding a third. The militants fired four rounds in daylight, demonstrating their ongoing operational reach.
