Two Al-Shabaab Commanders Among Nine Killed in NISA Operation Near Jowhar

GOOBJOOG NEWS | JOWHAR: The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has said it has killed nine Al-Shabaab members, including two senior commanders, in a planned operation near Jowhar in the Middle Shabelle region.

NISA said the operation took place in Warciise, about 25 km from Jowhar, with support from international partners.

The two commanders killed were identified by NISA as Ahmed Ali Jimcaale, whom the agency described as Al-Shabaab’s senior commander in Jowhar district, and Geedi Mohamed Nur Adde, identified as the group’s commander in the Dumaaye and Dabagaalo areas.

The agency said both men had been under surveillance for some time, with intelligence gathered on their movements and activities before the operation was carried out.

Seven other Al-Shabaab fighters were also killed, while weapons and military equipment were recovered from the site, NISA said.

The agency described the operation as successful and said it had dealt a significant blow to Al-Shabaab’s operational network in the area.

The operation is part of a wider campaign by Somalia’s security forces to disrupt Al-Shabaab’s leadership and networks used to organise attacks and maintain operations in central and southern Somalia.

Targeting commanders through intelligence-led operations is intended to weaken the group’s ability to coordinate fighters and plan attacks, particularly in areas where Somali forces are seeking to expand or consolidate their presence.

Middle Shabelle remains strategically important in Somalia’s security campaign because of its proximity to Mogadishu and its location along routes linking central Somalia with the capital.

NISA has increasingly reported operations targeting Al-Shabaab commanders and other senior figures, often with support from international security partners.

The latest operation also highlights the importance of intelligence gathering in Somalia’s campaign against the militant group, with the agency saying information collected over an extended period helped identify and target the two commanders.

NISA called on local communities to strengthen cooperation with security agencies and provide information that could help authorities disrupt Al-Shabaab activities.

The agency did not provide further details on the identities of the seven other fighters killed or specify the nature of the international support involved.