Friday February 14, 2025
Somali government forces and local militia patrol the arid terrain of Mudug region during an operation against Al-Shabaab militants. The joint offensive aims to dismantle insurgent strongholds and restore stability in central Somalia.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali government troops, with support from local militia, have killed a senior Al-Shabaab commander and ten of his fighters in a military raid on insurgent-held villages in the Mudug region, military officials said Thursday.
The operation, conducted near Jowle, targeted Al-Shabaab’s local leadership, resulting in the death of Abdullahi Said Bulhiye, the group’s designated leader for the area. Bulhiye, according to security sources, played a critical role in overseeing the militant group’s activities in Mudug. The region has been a persistent battleground in Somalia’s long-running fight against Al-Shabaab.
A government statement confirmed that ten other militants, described as Bulhiye’s close bodyguards, were also killed in the assault. Somali military commanders said the operation was part of a broader offensive aimed at dismantling Al-Shabaab’s foothold in central Somalia.
The Mudug region, particularly areas under the Galmudug administration, has seen an increase in military activity as Somali forces escalate their efforts to reclaim territory from the militant group. The ongoing offensive, launched in collaboration with local armed groups, comes as coalition forces attempt to weaken Al-Shabaab’s operational capacity.
Military officials vowed to sustain pressure on the insurgents.
