Saturday February 22, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – The Somali National Army (SNA) has identified five Al-Shabaab members killed in heavy fighting in the El-Ali Ahmed area of the Middle Shabelle region over the past two days.
In a press release on Saturday, the SNA Command confirmed that among those killed was Hassan Abdiwahid Abdi Dhicisow, also known as Abdi Gurey, the militant group’s military leader for Middle Shabelle, Galgaduud, and Mudug regions.
Other militants killed include Dahir Buhane, a commander of Al-Shabaab fighters, and Anas, the group’s general transport chief. Also, Khalid Jiis, another commander, along with an unidentified senior militant leader, were among those killed in the military operation.
The operation comes just hours after Somali forces and allied clan militias killed 130 Al-Shabaab militants in Middle Shabelle, following coordinated attacks by the group on four villages using explosive-laden vehicles early Thursday morning.
Somali National Army Chief General Odowaa Yusuf Rageh is leading the offensive, which military sources say aims to dislodge Al-Shabaab from key strongholds in Middle Shabelle. The militant group, which has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for over a decade, continues to stage ambushes and targeted attacks despite ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
