Government Forces Retake Key Al-Shabaab Bases in Lower Shabelle

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somali government forces have captured the key villages of Sabid and Anole from Al-Shabaab militants in a fresh military push in the Lower Shabelle region.

The offensive, part of a broader campaign to reclaim territory in southern Somalia, forced the al-Qaeda-linked group to withdraw from long-held positions.

“This operation is a major gain in our efforts to root out Al-Shabaab,” said Lt. Col. Ahmed Gaashaan, commander of the Somali National Army’s 7th Battalion. “Sabid and Anole were strategic for their logistics and mobility. We now control them.”

Government troops are now carrying out security sweeps in the area to clear explosives and ensure safe access for civilians, officials said.

Al-Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for over a decade, has lost significant ground in recent months under intensified military pressure backed by local militias and international partners.