NISA Targets Senior Al-Shabaab Leaders in Overnight Operation in Hiiraan Region

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has said its forces, backed by international partners, carried out an overnight intelligence operation targeting senior Al-Shabaab members in the Maxaas district of Hiiraan region.

NISA said the operation targeted a house where senior members of the militant group were believed to be staying. The agency said the individuals had been involved in planning and organising operations in Hiiraan in recent weeks.

The agency said the raid inflicted significant losses on Al-Shabaab and disrupted a network involved in coordinating the group’s activities in the region. NISA did not provide an independent assessment of casualties or identify the individuals targeted.

The operation comes as Somali security forces intensify intelligence-led operations against Al-Shabaab in central and southern Somalia, with international partners providing varying forms of support.

Hiiraan has remained an important theatre in Somalia’s fight against the militant group, with government forces and local community defence fighters conducting repeated operations to challenge Al-Shabaab’s presence and movements. Recent fighting around Maxaas and neighbouring areas has underscored the group’s continued ability to operate in parts of central Somalia despite sustained military pressure.

NISA has reported several similar operations in Hiiraan this year. In May, the agency said five Al-Shabaab members were killed in an operation in the Tardo area after intelligence indicated that militants were gathering to coordinate activities in the region.

The latest raid also highlights the growing emphasis on intelligence operations as Somalia seeks to disrupt Al-Shabaab’s leadership and operational networks rather than relying solely on conventional military offensives.

The group remains one of Somalia’s main security threats and has demonstrated an ability to regroup, launch attacks and exploit gaps in government control even after losing territory to Somali forces and allied partners.

For Somalia, the challenge is increasingly not only to clear militant-held areas but also to maintain security after territory is recovered. Security analysts have previously pointed to coordination and the ability to hold newly recovered areas as key challenges for government forces.

The Federal Government has continued to rely on international security partners as it works to strengthen Somali forces and assume greater responsibility for national security. The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and other international partners remain part of the wider security architecture supporting Somali efforts against Al-Shabaab.

NISA’s latest statement did not provide details on the identities or number of senior Al-Shabaab members affected in the Maxaas operation.