Tuesday April 8, 2025
Somali government forces patrol the outskirts of Aboorey village in the Hiiraan region on April 8, 2025, following overnight clashes with Al-Shabaab militants. CREDIT / SNA
Beledweyne (HOL) — Somali government forces and allied local militias have said they have pushed out Al-Shabaab fighters from the village of Aboorey in the Hiiraan region after heavy overnight fighting with Al-Shabaab militants, the second major clash in the area in less than 24 hours, officials said Tuesday.
The battle began just after midnight on Monday when Al-Shabaab fighters launched an assault on Aboorey, located in the Buulo Burte district. Somali troops responded with a counteroffensive early Tuesday, expelling the militants and pursuing them into nearby areas, according to government sources.
Military aircraft were observed flying over Aboorey and its surroundings throughout the morning, raising the possibility of airstrikes as part of the ongoing operation.
In the wake of the fighting, residents across Hiiraan staged public demonstrations Tuesday morning to express support for the Somali National Army and allied local militias following the failed Al-Shabaab overnight assault.
In Moqokori, a town not far from the front, civilians scrambled to gather supplies to deliver to the soldiers still stationed near the outskirts.
“We are conducting continuous operations to weaken the Khawarij group Al-Shabaab,” Somalia’s federal government said in a statement, using the term often employed by officials to describe the al-Qaida-linked militants. “Our forces are actively operating in Runirgood, Guulane, and El Ali Ahmed in Middle Shabelle, and in areas between Buulo Burte and Jalalaqsi in Hiiraan.”
Residents reported hearing heavy gunfire and explosions throughout the night, with the sound of the fighting carrying well beyond the village. Casualties have been reported on both sides, but no confirmed death toll has been released.
Al-Shabaab, which has intensified attacks in Middle Shabelle in recent months, now appears to be shifting its focus northward. The group may be exploiting a temporary security gap left after Ma’awisley community militias from Hiiraan were redeployed to Middle Shabelle to support broader anti-militant operations.
While Somali officials say their forces have inflicted significant losses on the group in both regions, analysts caution that Al-Shabaab retains the capacity to regroup and launch retaliatory strikes.
The situation in Aboorey remains tense as Somali troops work to stabilize the area and prevent further incursions.
This story is developing.
