SNA Launches ‘Operation Rolling Thunder’ Against Al Shabaab in Lower Shabelle

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: The Somali National Armed Forces have launched a new offensive, dubbed “Operation Rolling Thunder,” targeting al Shabaab strongholds in the Lower Shabelle region.

The operation is being conducted with support from African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) troops from Uganda and other international partners.

According to military officials, the campaign aims to dismantle militant bases, disrupt supply routes and prevent planned attacks, while securing civilian communities and key agricultural areas that are central to the region’s economy.

Lower Shabelle, a fertile farming belt south of Mogadishu, has long been contested by the government and the Islamist group Al-Shabaab, which continues to carry out bombings and raids despite sustained military pressure.

The defence ministry said operations would continue until the group’s presence in the targeted المناطق is eliminated, describing the offensive as part of broader efforts to consolidate security and support state-building.