Friday February 14, 2025

Somali National Army (SNA) troops conduct a military operation targeting Al-Shabab checkpoints in the Lower Shabelle region.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali government forces have conducted a military operation in the Lower Shabelle region, dismantling Al-Shabab checkpoints and freeing civilians and vehicles held by the group, military officials said Friday.

The offensive, led by the 175th Battalion of the 17th Gorgor Brigade and the 146th Battalion of the 14th October Brigade, targeted Gumeysidiid, a village where Al-Shabab had set up illegal checkpoints.

Colonel Nuur Mohamed Gaabow, commander of the 14th October Brigade, said the operation successfully eliminated the checkpoints, which had been used to extort and restrict movement.

“We will not accept the Khawarij continuing to impose themselves and oppress our people and our nation,” Gaabow told state media, using the Somali government’s term for Al-Shabab. “We are always prepared to track them down wherever they seek refuge. During the operation, our National Army forces freed vehicles and civilians that the Khawarij had detained in Gumeysidiid.”

Gaabow said similar operations would continue in Lower Shabelle, where Al-Shabab has long maintained a presence.

The militant group has used road checkpoints to collect taxes from travellers and transport operators, a crucial revenue source. The group has also abducted civilians, executed those accused of spying for the government, and ambushed military convoys along major highways.

Somali forces, backed by international allies including the U.S. military and African Union peacekeepers, have ramped up operations against Al-Shabab in recent months. The government has focused on cutting off the group’s financial streams, particularly extortion and illicit taxation, which help fund its insurgency.

Despite territorial losses, Al-Shabab continues to carry out bombings and targeted killings in Mogadishu and other areas under government control.