Thursday June 5, 2025

Beledweyne (HOL) – At least 20 Al-Shabaab militants were killed on Wednesday during heavy fighting between Ma’awisley local militia forces from the Hawadle clan and the militant group in the El-Hareri area of the Hiiraan region.

The battle erupted after Al-Shabaab launched an explosive attack targeting Ma’awisley positions in the area, followed by intense close-range combat that lasted nearly two hours.

A Ma’awisley militia officer told reporters that their forces repelled the attack, dealing a significant blow to the militants.

“Today, the Khawarij attacked us with two explosive-laden vehicles. The first was aimed at destroying the local water well, but we stopped it. The second is still in the area,” the officer said.

Al-Shabaab briefly seized control of El-Hareri, which falls under Moqokori district, but Ma’awisley forces reportedly regained control of the area following a fierce counteroffensive.

The latest confrontation underscores the ongoing efforts by community-based militias in central Somalia to push back against Al-Shabaab’s presence, particularly in the Hiiraan region where local resistance forces have increasingly collaborated with government troops in counterterrorism operations.