MOGADISHU (Dawan Africa) – The Somali government claims its forces, alongside Ugandan troops under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), have killed more than 70 Al-Shabaab fighters in a coordinated military operation in Barire, Lower Shabelle. The announcement follows an earlier statement by the AUSSOM, which on Sunday confirmed an ongoing offensive in the same area and reported over 50 militants had been killed.
According to Somalia’s Ministry of Defence, the four-day operation was part of Operation Silent Storm("Duufaanta Aamusan") and focused on dismantling one of Al-Shabaab’s urban defensive hubs. The government says the joint forces, supported by international allies, seized strategic ground after encountering resistance.
Authorities also claim that Al-Shabaab launched two suicide vehicle attacks, which were intercepted and neutralized by Somali and Ugandan forces before they reached the troops.
“Our forces acted with speed and bravery, neutralizing the explosives before they could cause harm,” the Ministry stated.
The government confirmed the deaths of two Somali soldiers and said 12 others were wounded, all receiving immediate medical attention.
Officials described the town of Barire as a long-time base of operations for Al-Shabaab, used to coordinate attacks on Mogadishu and surrounding areas. They assert that the operation has dealt a serious blow to the group’s presence in the region.
The announcement by Somalia’s Ministry of Defence came a day after the African Union publicly confirmed that its own forces had killed more than 50 Al-Shabaab militants during ongoing military operations in Barire. The AU did not specify the timeframe or provide detailed casualty figures beyond that number.
“This operation reflects our unwavering resolve to eliminate Al-Shabaab from every corner of the country,” the Somali Ministry of Defence said in its statement.
While the figures provided by the Somali government have not been independently verified, the back-to-back claims by both Somali and AU sources suggest intensified military activity in Lower Shabelle as part of broader efforts to reclaim Al-Shabaab-controlled territory.
