Sunday December 7, 2025
Somali government soldiers patrol a rural road in western Hiiraan on Dec. 7, 2025, during an operation in which the army seized nine villages from al-Shabab after militants withdrew from the area.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali government forces captured nine villages from al-Shabab in western Hiiraan after militants withdrew ahead of a planned military advance, military officials said Sunday.
Troops moved into areas surrounding the El Adde settlement as part of a broader offensive aimed at weakening al-Shabab’s long-standing influence in the region. Officials said the forces faced no resistance because the militants abandoned their positions before the army arrived.
The officer said troops are pursuing fighters who fled the area and intend to remove the group from all remaining pockets it controls in western Hiiraan.
Al-Shabab has maintained significant bases in parts of the region for years, using the remote terrain to support recruitment and logistics. The government’s campaign in Hiiraan is part of a wider effort to reclaim rural areas, disrupt militant networks, and restrict the group’s ability to organize attacks.