Saturday April 26, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali National Army (SNA) elite Danab Commandos killed at least 21 Al-Shabaab militants during a targeted operation in the Baladul-Amin area of the Lower Shabelle region on Friday, military officials said.

Officials told state-owned media that a local Al-Shabaab commander was among those killed in the operation, which also destroyed a hideout used by the militants.

Authorities confirmed that no civilian casualties occurred during the mission.

The strike comes as Somalia’s military faces renewed challenges in its broader campaign against Al-Shabaab across the Lower and Middle Shabelle regions.

In recent weeks, Al-Shabaab has intensified its attacks, including a major assault on Aadan Yabaal, a strategic town in the Middle Shabelle region, further testing government forces’ ability to hold recaptured areas.

The Somali government, supported by international partners, continues to conduct joint ground and air operations aimed at degrading the group’s operational capacity and reclaiming territory.