Wednesday April 16, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Al-Shabaab militants have seized control of the strategic town of Aadan Yabaal in Somalia's Middle Shabelle region following a dawn assault involving explosions and prolonged combat, local sources told HOL.
The attack, which began early Wednesday, lasted more than five hours and involved the use of heavy weaponry on both sides. The town, considered a key hub in central Somalia, had been under government control since it was retaken from the militant group in late 2022.
Residents and military officers confirmed to HOL that the town fell after Al-Shabaab launched a multi-pronged assault. The group claimed to have overrun 10 military outposts during the operation and released unverified footage showing fighters moving through the area. A soldier involved in evacuating the wounded told HOL that forces conducted a "tactical withdrawal" following sustained combat.
Al-Shabaab issued a statement by midday claiming full control of Aadan Yabaal. The group also posted videos on social media purporting to show its fighters and military vehicles operating inside the town. HOL could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage.
Al-Shabaab's seizure of Aadan Yabaal is part of a broader campaign known as the Shabelle offensive, launched in February 2025. The group has increased its attacks by over 50% compared to 2024 across Hiraan and Middle Shabelle regions, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). These gains have reversed some of the federal government's territorial advances made during its landmark 2022 counteroffensive.
The capture of Aadan Yabaal is particularly symbolic. Once a long-time Al-Shabaab administrative hub, the town was retaken by Somali forces in 2022 and had become a staging ground for government raids into militant-held areas. Its fall signals the resilience of Al-Shabaab, which has steadily regrouped despite U.S. airstrikes and Turkish military support to the Somali federal government.
Concerns are mounting that Al-Shabaab may be attempting to encircle Mogadishu. Last month, militants temporarily seized villages within 50 kilometres of the capital and carried out a failed assassination attempt against President Mohamud using a large roadside bomb. The explosion killed at least four people but left the president unharmed. While international observers have not confirmed an imminent threat to the capital, the militant group's recent propaganda has hinted at a new phase in its campaign.
Government forces and allied community defence militias known as Ma'awisleey were reportedly regrouping on the town's outskirts, preparing for a potential counteroffensive. The Somali federal government issued no official comment on Wednesday evening.
Efforts to confirm casualties and assess the situation inside the town have been hampered by a telecommunications blackout affecting Aadan Yabaal and surrounding villages.