Wednesday March 26, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – Al-Shabaab militants attacked a Somali National Army (SNA) base in Masajid Ali Guduud in the Middle Shabelle region on Wednesday morning, sparking intense clashes with government troops.
The assault began with an explosion followed by heavy and light gunfire exchanged between the two sides. While the number of casualties remains unclear, sources confirmed fatalities and injuries on both sides.
Security officials stated that Somali troops repelled the attack, though intermittent gunfire was still reported in the area as of midday.
Masajid Ali Guduud, located in a strategic zone of Middle Shabelle, has been a key staging ground for recent military operations against Al-Shabaab.
In response, reinforcements from the nearby district of Adale—where President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is currently based—were reportedly deployed to support troops engaged in the battle. The president returned to the frontlines in Raaga Ceelle and Cadale on Tuesday to oversee the military campaign.
Al-Shabaab, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Somalia, the African Union, the United States, and the United Nations, claimed responsibility for the attack and alleged it had seized control of Masajid Ali Guduud. However, no independent sources have confirmed the group’s claim.
The Somali government has reported that Al-Shabaab has suffered heavy battlefield losses in recent weeks as joint federal and local forces push deeper into militant-held areas across Middle Shabelle.
