Bardera, Somalia — Abbas Ibrahim Gurey, the commander of Jubbaland's Dervish forces, survived an assassination attempt on Monday when a landmine detonated near the Somali-Kenyan border, according to local reports.
The explosion, which occurred in the Gedo region, caused significant damage to Gurey's vehicle but left him and his companions unharmed. Gurey, who heads the local security forces in this volatile part of southern Somalia, directly blamed the attack on Al-Shabaab, the militant group affiliated with Al-Qaeda. "Al-Shabaab was behind this attempt to kill me, but God saved me," Gurey stated in an interview with local media, expressing his relief and gratitude.
The incident underscores the persistent threat from Al-Shabaab in the Gedo region, where the group has been known to carry out frequent attacks against government officials and security forces. The area's proximity to the Kenyan border makes it a strategic target for Al-Shabaab, aiming to destabilize the local administration and disrupt cross-border security cooperation.
Security has been a major concern in Gedo, with the region witnessing numerous violent incidents. In a particularly tragic example, Abdirahman Abdullahi, known as Bakal Kooke, who was the regional commander for Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), was killed by a landmine in December 2022, in what was one of several deadly attacks targeting local officials.
This latest attack on Gurey reflects the ongoing challenges faced by Somali security forces in maintaining control over regions like Gedo, where Al-Shabaab maintains a significant presence despite concerted efforts by the Somali government and international partners to dismantle their operations. The attack also highlights the militants' continued ability to execute sophisticated operations, including the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in areas thought to be under secure control.
Local forces are now likely to intensify efforts to secure the border areas, enhance intelligence gathering, and possibly launch counter-offensives to prevent further incursions by Al-Shabaab militants. Meanwhile, the survival of Gurey could serve as a morale boost for the Dervish forces, reinforcing their resolve in the fight against the insurgents.
