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Al-Shabab offensive sparks militia mobilization near Jalalaqsi
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    Wednesday July 16, 2025


    Somali government-aligned Macawiisleey militia fighters secure a section of the Jidka Jaayga highway near Jalalaqsi, Hiiraan region. The militia has reinforced positions following reports of an impending Al-Shabab offensive targeting key transport corridors.

    Beledweyne (HOL) — A tense standoff is unfolding in central Somalia after Al-Shabab militants began mobilizing near Ceel Baraf in an apparent attempt to seize control of a key transport corridor linking the Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions, prompting a rapid response from government-aligned militias.

    Local sources and officials confirmed that fighters from the Somali paramilitary group Macawiisleey have fortified their positions in Qoryaale and Xalfooley villages, both located in the Jalalaqsi district, following intelligence that Al-Shabab is preparing a coordinated assault on the Jidka Jaayga highway—a strategic road connecting Jalalaqsi to Ceel Baraf in Middle Shabelle.

    The militant group     is believed to be amassing fighters near Ceel Baraf, a town it briefly recaptured in early July during its ongoing “2025 Shabelle Offensive,” which has seen it retake several villages and key supply routes across Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle. Last week, Al-Shabab militants overran Moqokori, a major transport hub in eastern Hiiraan, in what security officials described as the group's most significant territorial gain in the region in over three years.

    In response, Macawiisleey fighters, community-based militia forces aligned with the Somali federal government, have deployed heavily to Qoryaale and Xalfooley villages in the Jalalaqsi district. These areas lie at a strategic junction and are considered essential to the defence of Jalalaqsi.

    Witnesses and residents report a significant build-up of militia forces in recent hours, with troops fortifying positions and setting up checkpoints to prevent Al-Shabab infiltration. The militia now maintains full control of the area, local officials said.

    Al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-affiliated militant group, has a long history of targeting road networks and key junctions as part of its strategy to disrupt federal and regional governance. The group increasingly relies on controlling rural routes to resupply fighters and tax local populations.



     





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