Badhadhe, Somalia — Somali government forces in the Jubaland administration, supported by elite Danab commandos, carried out a major military operation in several areas under the jurisdiction of Badhadhe district in the southern Lower Juba region, officials said Monday.

The planned operation targeted Al-Shabaab hideouts in remote bushland, with direct clashes erupting between the military and members of the extremist group, according to officers leading the offensive. The fighting reportedly lasted several hours and was met with strong resistance.

Video footage released by the military shows troops standing over abandoned militant positions, including makeshift trenches and bunkers, where they recovered weapons and other supplies allegedly used by the group.

In a statement, Somalia's federal government confirmed that at least 19 Al-Shabaab fighters were killed in the village of **Baqooqaha**, located approximately 13 kilometers west of Buula Xaaji. The government also acknowledged the deaths of two soldiers and injuries to five others from the combined Jubaland and Danab forces.

Jubaland authorities vowed to continue operations against Al-Shabaab until full security is restored across the Lower Juba region.