Somalia: Airstrikes Target Al-Shabaab Hideouts in Central Somalia - Sources

VOA
29 August 2025
Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)

Mogadishu, Somalia — Fresh airstrikes have targeted suspected Al-Shabaab hideouts in central Somalia near the border of the Galgaduud and Middle Shabelle regions, security sources said on Friday.

The strikes, reportedly carried out by international partners supporting the Somali government, were conducted in coordination with the country's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), the sources said.

The aerial operation struck militant positions in Hareeri Culusoow, Mareeg Caraale, and surrounding villages--areas believed to house Al-Shabaab fighters and command centers. These locations lie close to Masagaway town in the Galgaduud region.

According to preliminary intelligence, the operation aimed to preempt a planned Al-Shabaab offensive against Somali National Army (SNA) units and allied local forces in the region.

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"NISA had credible intelligence that Al-Shabaab was mobilizing in the area to launch coordinated attacks. The decision was made to strike before they could act," a security official said on condition of anonymity.

Local sources reported casualties among Al-Shabaab militants, including several senior operatives, although no official death toll has been released by the Somali government.

Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-linked group, continues to maintain a presence in parts of Galgaduud and Middle Shabelle, despite ongoing military offensives backed by international partners.

In recent weeks, the group has faced a series of airstrikes targeting its command centers and meeting points. The Somali government has previously claimed the killing of high-ranking members in similar operations across Galgaduud, Hiiraan, and the Shabelle regions.

While the government has made gains, Al-Shabaab has also launched counterattacks, briefly seizing villages in Hirshabelle and Lower Shabelle.

However, government forces have since retaken several key areas, including Bariire, Sabiid, and Caanoole. There has been no immediate comment from Al-Shabaab regarding the latest airstrikes.

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