MOGADISHU -- The Federal Government of Somalia has announced that a series of intensive airstrikes carried out in recent hours in the Lower Shabelle and Middle Juba regions have killed several high-ranking Al-Shabaab commanders, including one of the group's top intelligence figures.
In an official statement released late Sunday, the government confirmed that among those killed was Mohamed Osman Mohamed, also known by his alias "Tuutax," the Deputy Head of Al-Shabaab's Amniyat, the group's intelligence and assassination unit. He was also in charge of procurement and management of explosive devices, a critical component of the group's terrorist operations across Somalia.
The government described Tuutax as a key operative responsible for bomb-making networks and coordination of urban terror plots. His elimination marks a significant blow to Al-Shabaab's operational and intelligence infrastructure.
The targeted strikes hit Jilib, Mubarak, Ugunji, and Kunya-Barrow, areas long known as militant strongholds and logistical hubs for Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia. According to defense officials, the operation was based on verified intelligence and executed with precision-guided weaponry in coordination with Somalia's international security partners.
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Eyewitnesses in nearby towns reported powerful explosions during the night, followed by heavy movement of Al-Shabaab fighters evacuating casualties from the strike zones.
The operation comes just 24 hours after Al-Shabaab militants launched a complex assault on the NISA-operated Jilaow Prison in Mogadishu -- an attack that Somali forces successfully repelled after a seven-hour battle. The government framed the prison attack as a desperate retaliation by the group after suffering "heavy losses in the Lower Shabelle region."
In the same statement, Somali authorities linked the two events, saying the group's "reckless acts of terror" reflect growing frustration and disarray within its leadership ranks as government forces continue to intensify counterterrorism operations across southern Somalia.
The Ministry of Internal Security also issued new orders to tighten control of weapons and military vehicles in the capital, Mogadishu. Citing specific legal measures, the government directed all security agencies to fully enforce:
- Law No. 134: Government Premises Security Act
- Law No. 135: Private Facility Protection Act
- Law No. 123: Firearms Regulation and Control Act for the Capital
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These directives aim to prevent militant infiltration, following reports that the Jilaow attackers had exploited weaknesses in checkpoint controls by using vehicles and uniforms resembling those of government forces.
The Somali National Army (SNA), supported by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and U.S.-backed air assets, has ramped up its offensive against Al-Shabaab over the past year. The latest series of airstrikes come amid renewed momentum after joint forces recaptured key territories in Lower Shabelle, including Awdheegle, Raqayle, Shaangarre, and Malabo, only days earlier.
Security analysts note that the death of Tuutax -- one of Al-Shabaab's most technically skilled bomb-makers -- could disrupt the group's capacity to carry out large-scale suicide bombings and complex urban attacks in the short term. However, they caution that retaliatory attacks may follow as the group seeks to reassert its strength.
The elimination of Al-Shabaab's senior intelligence figure and several of his associates underscores the Somali government's growing tactical capability and intelligence precision in the ongoing war against terrorism.
Yet, as the recent attack on the Jilacow facility revealed, the group's ability to strike symbolic targets remains a pressing challenge. The latest developments highlight a dual reality: Somalia's counterterrorism forces are making strategic gains, but national security vulnerabilities still demand constant vigilance and reform.
