Thursday April 24, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali government forces and allied local militias repelled an early-morning Al-Shabaab assault on the village of Wargaadhi in the Middle Shabelle region on Thursday, military officials confirmed. The attack was thwarted with heavy losses inflicted on the militants, and government forces remain in complete control of the area.
The offensive began at dawn when Al-Shabaab fighters attempted to seize the village, a strategic location in the government’s broader campaign to push the group from central Somalia. According to the Somali National Army (SNA), the attackers were met with strong resistance, resulting in casualties among the militants and no confirmed territorial losses for the government.
General Sahal Abdullahi Omar, commander of the SNA’s land forces, stated that government troops successfully repelled the assault. “The national army and local units remain in control of Wargaadhi. Al-Shabaab was dealt a significant blow,” he said.
Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Ibrahim Interfeer, commander of the 18th Battalion of Gorgor forces stationed in Wargaadhi, also refuted claims made by Al-Shabaab-affiliated media outlets, which alleged that the militant group had taken control of the area.
“There has been no withdrawal of our forces,” Interfeer said in an interview with state media. “This was a brief and contained attempt by the Khawarij, which was quickly neutralized. False reports suggesting we lost the village are part of their propaganda.”
The fighting in Wargaadhi illustrates the continued volatility of the Middle Shabelle region, where Al-Shabaab remains active despite ongoing offensives by the Somali federal government and its partners. The government has made significant territorial gains in recent months, though sporadic counterattacks by the militant group continue.
Military officials emphasized that Wargaadhi serves as a key forward base in operations targeting Al-Shabaab across central Somalia. Authorities also noted that past troop repositioning in some frontline areas had been part of tactical planning, not evidence of retreat.
Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida-affiliated militant group, has waged a long insurgency against the internationally-backed Somali government and continues to conduct attacks against civilians, security forces, and government targets across the country.
