Friday March 14, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia's security forces and international partners launched coordinated airstrikes on militant hideouts in the Middle and Lower Shabelle regions, killing at least 41 al-Shabaab members, including key commanders, military officials said Thursday.
The airstrikes carried out with intelligence from the Somali National Army (SNA) and the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), targeted strongholds in Boos-Hareeri and Jambaluul, areas frequently used as operational bases by the al-Qaeda-linked militant group. According to security sources, the strikes inflicted significant losses on the group and disrupted their capacity to stage further attacks.
NISA confirmed that its forces executed the strikes in Jambaluul, killing 12 al-Shabaab members, while the joint operation with the SNA in Boos-Hareeri resulted in the deaths of 29 militants, including key commanders.
"These operations, which began today and are still ongoing, have delivered a major blow to terrorist elements," NISA said in a statement.
Somali authorities have intensified their counterterrorism operations in recent months, using intelligence-driven tactics to weaken militant infrastructure. The latest airstrikes in Boos-Hareeri and Jambaluul mark a continuation of efforts to reclaim areas long used by the militants.
NISA has urged civilians to avoid areas where al-Shabaab militants are believed to be hiding, warning that they remain primary targets of security operations.
"We advise all civilians to steer clear of locations where militants are taking cover," NISA stated. "Our operations will continue until these threats are fully neutralized."
Despite recent military successes, security analysts caution that al-Shabaab remains resilient and capable of regrouping and staging attacks.
Al-Shabaab, which has waged a violent insurgency for over a decade, continues to pose a significant threat in Somalia, carrying out suicide bombings, targeted assassinations, and large-scale attacks on security forces and civilians.