Mogadishu (Somalia Today) — Somali National Army, working alongside Jubaland State troops, killed 56 Al-Shabaab militants during a major operation on Sunday in the Lower Juba region. The raid against Al-Shabaab near the Jamame district also led to the capture of 20 fighters, officials said.
Security officials described the assault as a “highly planned” joint effort. It involved Jubaland State forces, the Somali National Army, and U.S.-trained Danab commandos.
The forces struck at the same time in several villages, including Muse-Haji, Arare, Kobon, Bangeni, and Maleyley.
These rural areas were not chosen at random. Al-Shabaab has long used these villages as key bases to stage attacks on civilians and security forces. Commanders said the militants also relied on these locations to collect extortion payments and intimidate local communities.
Allied forces overwhelmed the militant positions during the operation, and Jubaland authorities said 56 fighters were killed. In addition, officials reported capturing 20 Al-Shabaab members alive, one of the largest group arrests in the region in recent months.
The government offensive also tore down parts of the group’s infrastructure in the area. Jubaland officials said allied forces “completely destroyed” the militants’ hideouts in the targeted villages.
They described the action as a “significant setback” to Al-Shabaab’s operational capacity in Lower Juba. State media images showed compounds reduced to rubble.
The operation is part of a wider, ongoing conflict. According to reports from the UN and security analysts in 2025, Al-Shabaab remains a major threat in south and central Somalia.
The group launched its own offensive in early 2025, trying to roll back government gains. As a result, Somali forces and their international partners have stepped up retaliatory operations to weaken the group’s capabilities.
Army officials involved in the Lower Juba operation vowed that the campaign is not over. They said the offensive would continue “until the entire area is free from the threat of terrorism.”
Officials also promised to “restore normal life to the people of Juba.” This underscores the government’s renewed push to regain territory as part of broader national stabilization efforts.
