Mogadishu (Dawan Africa)— Senior Al-Shabaab commander Musa Bataar was killed on May 18, 2025, in a U.S. airstrike conducted between Jilib and Kunya-Barrow in the Middle Jubba region of southern Somalia. Sources confirm the strike specifically targeted Bataar, a high-ranking operative within Al-Shabaab, delivering a significant blow to the group's external alliances and military operations.
Musa Bataar, originally from Somaliland, joined Al-Shabaab in early 2005, quickly advancing within the organization. Over the years, he became a prominent figure in Al-Shabaab's military and intelligence operations, holding several critical positions. Among these, Bataar served as the head of the group's Public Relations Office in 2009 and later oversaw the organization's security and intelligence apparatus.
However, it was his role in facilitating Al-Shabaab's collaboration with the Houthi rebels in Yemen that became one of his most crucial responsibilities in recent years. Bataar was Al-Shabaab's primary liaison to the Houthis, orchestrating the exchange of weapons and military equipment between the two groups. His involvement was instrumental in ensuring the continued flow of arms, drones, and other military supplies, which bolstered Al-Shabaab’s operational capabilities in Somalia.
Bataar's work with the Houthis was particularly significant in securing advanced weaponry for Al-Shabaab, including drones, which have become a central part of the group's operations, particularly in attacks on Somali government forces, African Union troops, and other targets. His role as a key intermediary not only provided Al-Shabaab with crucial military resources but also reinforced the group's ties with other militant organizations in the region.
In 2017, Bataar was assigned to oversee Al-Shabaab’s military operations in the Al-Madoow mountain range and Puntland, further cementing his strategic importance within the organization. His coordination of smuggling operations, especially the flow of weapons from Yemen to Somalia, positioned him as a key figure in Al-Shabaab's broader network of regional alliances.
Before his death, Musa Bataar had become one of the leading figures in Al-Shabaab’s coordination with external militant groups, particularly the Houthis. His role in facilitating weapons shipments and military collaboration made him a high-value target for U.S. forces and international counterterrorism efforts in the region. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud confirmed in a recent article in Sharq Alawsat that the Houthis and Al-Shabaab have long been allies, working together in both operational and logistical capacities.
The U.S. airstrike that killed Bataar is seen as a significant disruption to both Al-Shabaab’s internal operations and its external alliances. His death is expected to severely undermine the group’s ability to maintain strategic connections with the Houthis, which will likely impact Al-Shabaab’s logistical and military capabilities throughout East Africa.
This report is exclusive to Dawan Africa.
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