AU Mission Says Joint Operation Killed Over 30 Al-Shabaab Fighters in Lower Shabelle

GOOBJOOG NEWS| LOWER SHABELLE: AU mission says more than 30 Al-Shabaab militants were killed in a joint operation near Bulunagaad in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region.

In a press statement dated January 15, 2026, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) said the Somali National Army (SNA), working with AUSSOM, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and other international partners, carried out the operation in the vicinity of the Bulunagaad Forward Operating Base (FOB).

AUSSOM said the operation was supported by air assets and involved multiple engagements, leaving several other Al-Shabaab fighters injured.

The mission said the militants had earlier attacked SNA and AUSSOM forces as they conducted pursuit operations against Al-Shabaab remnants dislodged from coastal areas, including Gendershe, and along the Jilib–Marka axis during SNA-led operations it said were codenamed Operation Hidden Sword.

AUSSOM said joint forces acted swiftly to neutralize threats targeting security forces and civilians, and reiterated their commitment to protecting civilians, maintaining security and enabling the safe movement of humanitarian assistance and logistics supplies.

The statement added that joint forces will continue operations aimed at degrading Al-Shabaab’s operational capabilities and promoting lasting peace, stability and security in Somalia.