Mastermind of Buulo Mareer Attack on UPDF Forces Captured in Joint Operation in Lower Shabelle

GOOBJOOG NEWS|LOWER SHABELLE: A senior Al-Shabaab commander linked to the Buulo Mareer attack on Ugandan forces has been captured in a joint operation by Somali Gorgor Commandos and African Union forces.

Salaad Osman Macalin Abdi, also known as Salaad Dheere and Saham, was arrested on April 3, 2026, in Soomaray village, about five kilometers west of Mubarak in the Lower Shabelle region.

The operation involved the Somali National Army’s Gorgor Commandos, the 203rd Brigade, and troops under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), including the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF).

He was captured while conducting reconnaissance on government and allied defensive positions, in what officials say was part of preparations for planned early-morning attacks on military bases.
The capture comes just over a month after government forces retook Mubarak on March 2, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to secure key areas in Lower Shabelle.

Who is Salaad Dheere?

According to government and independent media reports, Saham is a 40-year-old from Burao who joined Al-Shabaab in 2009. He has spent 17 years within the group, including around 10 years in active military operations. In 2016, he moved into the group’s insurgent wing, where he remained active until his capture.
Over the years, he played a key role in coordinating attacks against Somali government forces and AUSSOM troops across Lower Shabelle. His record is linked to several major operations, including the May 2023 attack on a Ugandan base in Buulo Mareer that killed more than 100 soldiers.

At the time of his arrest, he held the rank of brigade commander and was responsible for coordinating several militant units. He was also leading a group of 17 foreign fighters who had recently been moved from Jilib to the Ugunji area in Lower Shabelle.
Security agencies say initial intelligence obtained after his capture includes information about a Kenyan national identified as Ismail, who had reportedly been prepared to carry out a suicide attack targeting Mubarak.
Military officials, including Sector One commander Major General Jackson Kayanja, described the arrest as a major blow to Al-Shabaab’s operational network in Lower Shabelle. They say he was central to planning and coordinating activities in Buulo Abdulle, Mudulow, Buuladoonta, Ugunji and Busley.

High Value Target
His capture is expected to provide valuable intelligence on the movement of foreign fighters, internal command structures and planned attacks in the region.
Saham’s long involvement in the group made him one of its more experienced field commanders, with deep knowledge of operations in Lower Shabelle and Banaadir.

His arrest during an active reconnaissance mission also suggests that Somali and allied intelligence services have penetrated parts of the group’s planning network.
The presence of foreign fighters under his command and their redeployment from Jilib points to possible shifts in Al-Shabaab’s operational strategy, including reinforcing areas under pressure or preparing new attacks in Lower Shabelle.
The operation also highlights growing coordination between Somali forces and AUSSOM troops, with elite units increasingly carrying out targeted, intelligence-driven missions aimed at disrupting leadership structures and preventing planned attacks.

Mubarak and surrounding areas have long been used as staging grounds for attacks targeting Mogadishu and African Union bases. Officials say Saham’s capture may have disrupted an imminent operation in the area, while intelligence gathered from him could help track and dismantle other cells operating in Lower Shabelle.