Two Al-Shabaab Commanders Killed In Middle Shabelle Operations

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somali local defence forces have killed two Al-Shabaab commanders in separate operations in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region, the Ministry of Defence said.

The operations were carried out in the Daaru-Nicma and Tawakal areas as government-backed local forces continue efforts to disrupt Al-Shabaab’s networks in central Somalia.

In the first operation, forces targeted an Al-Shabaab hideout on the outskirts of Daaru-Nicma in Ruun-Nirgood district, killing Hassan Hussein Hurshow, also known as Hassan Garabdheere, according to the ministry.

Hurshow was accused of overseeing Al-Shabaab’s extortion operations in Cadcaddeey, Cadaan-Laxeey and Daaru-Nicma, where the group allegedly collected money from residents under the guise of zakat, an Islamic obligation involving charitable giving.

One of Hurshow’s bodyguards was also killed in the operation, while another Al-Shabaab member was wounded, the ministry said.

In a separate operation in Tawakal, local forces killed another Al-Shabaab commander identified as Abdullahi Faadhuud.

The ministry praised what it described as a growing community-led campaign against Al-Shabaab and said local defence forces were playing an important role alongside Somalia’s national security forces.

The operations come as Somali forces intensify pressure on Al-Shabaab in Middle Shabelle, where the group has maintained networks in rural areas and has used taxation and extortion to generate revenue.

The government has increasingly relied on local community forces to support military operations, particularly in areas where local knowledge can help identify militant movements and disrupt Al-Shabaab’s access to communities.

The ministry did not provide further details on the operations or independently verifiable casualty figures.