Adan-Yabal, Somalia – The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), with the backing of international security partners, carried out a targeted operation on Thursday in the Adan-Yabal district of HirShabelle State, aimed at disrupting a high-level Al-Shabaab leadership meeting.
According to preliminary reports, the operation focused on a specific residential compound believed to have been hosting senior commanders of the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group. Intelligence sources indicated that the house had been under surveillance for weeks due to credible information that top-tier operatives were planning strategic directives from the location.
The joint operation, which remains ongoing at the time of reporting, marks a significant development in Somalia’s intensified campaign to dismantle Al-Shabaab’s command structure across central regions.
No official casualty figures or names of the targeted individuals have been released yet. However, security sources confirm that key figures within Al-Shabaab’s leadership council were present during the strike.
Government officials have lauded the mission as part of a broader national offensive to deny militants operational freedom and regrouping capacity in liberated territories.
“This is a critical blow to the terrorist infrastructure in HirShabelle,” said a senior security official familiar with the matter, adding that more updates would be released after post-operation assessments are complete.
Residents of Adan-Yabal reported hearing loud explosions and gunfire in the early hours of the morning, followed by an intensified military presence in the area.
The federal government of Somalia has recently ramped up its counterterrorism efforts in coordination with regional forces and international allies, targeting remaining Al-Shabaab strongholds in central and southern Somalia.
Further details, including the identities of those killed or captured and any recovered materials, are expected in an official briefing from the Ministry of Information and NISA.
The operation underscores Somalia’s ongoing commitment to eradicating terrorism and stabilizing regions once under militant control.