In a new blow to extremist groups in the Horn of Africa, Somali security and intelligence forces, in cooperation with international partners, announced the success of a large-scale military operation that resulted in the deaths of at least 23 members of the al-Shabaab terrorist group this week. This operation is part of the ongoing military campaign by the federal government aimed at eradicating the group from its main strongholds in the country.
According to official data, the military operations were concentrated in strategic areas of Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions, areas that have witnessed intense activity by the movement in recent years. Security sources explained that joint forces carried out precise preemptive strikes targeting gatherings of the movement's fighters who were preparing and planning to carry out terrorist attacks against civilian and military targets. An operation last night also resulted in the destruction of a vital training camp belonging to the movement in the Muqokuri area of Hiran region, which was being used as a launching pad for terrorist operations in the area.
The historical context of the conflict with the al-Shabaab movement
Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, is one of the most serious security threats in Somalia and the wider region. Founded in the mid-2000s, the group controlled large swathes of southern and central Somalia, including the capital, Mogadishu, for a time, before being driven out of major cities by government forces and troops from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM, now ATMIS). Despite losing urban centers, al-Shabaab still controls vast rural areas, from which it launches complex attacks and suicide bombings, and levies heavy taxes on local populations to fund its operations.
The importance of the process and its expected impact
This operation is of paramount importance both locally and regionally. Locally, it represents another success for the “total war” strategy declared by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, which relies on direct military force in conjunction with the mobilization of local clans (known as the “Mawesley” forces) against al-Shabaab. Liberating areas from al-Shabaab’s control restores hope to the local population, strengthens state authority, and cuts off the group’s supply and funding lines. Regionally and internationally, weakening al-Shabaab directly contributes to enhancing the security of neighboring countries, particularly Kenya and Ethiopia, which have suffered from terrorist attacks perpetrated by the group. Furthermore, these operations, conducted with the support of international partners such as the United States (AFRICOM) and the African Union Mission, underscore the international commitment to combating terrorism and restoring stability in Somalia, whose geographic location is vital to maritime security in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
