Saturday May 3, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) — Local militia forces in Somalia’s Hiiraan
region killed at least 10 Al-Shabaab militants in heavy fighting on Friday in
the Hararta area, situated between El-Harari in Hiiraan and Aden Yabaal in
Middle Shabelle, according to government officials.

The Macawisley community defense forces launched the
operation after tracking militants active in the area, which lies near the
border between the two regions.

Somali National Army Radio reported that the militia seized
more than ten firearms during the offensive and disrupted what they described
as an Al-Shabaab plot.

Deputy Information Minister Abdirahman Sheikh Yusuf Al-Adala
commended the Macawisley forces in a post on Facebook, stating that the
residents of Hiiraan had once again delivered a significant blow to the group.

“Thank you, people of Hiiraan, for once again showing
Al-Shabaab who you are. You are protectors and an inspiration to all Somalis,”
Al-Adala wrote. “The bodies of Al-Shabaab fighters you have stepped on will
serve as a reminder to them.”

Al-Shabaab has suffered a series of losses in recent weeks,
particularly in Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan, as government-aligned forces
intensify their campaign to liberate key areas from the group’s control.