Mudug and Bakool, Somalia – Several Somali security forces and community defense groups dealt a significant blow to Al-Shabaab after coordinated operations in Mudug and Bakool eliminated eleven militants and derailed plans for fresh attacks. The joint effort, carried out by the Somali National Army and Macawisley fighters, targeted hideouts that had become staging points for assaults on villages and transport routes.
Residents in the affected areas reported an unusual calm afterward, a rare moment of relief following weeks of tension. Local commanders had been tracking the cells for days, watching their movements and gathering intelligence from community members who had grown increasingly wary of suspicious activity around their settlements.
The strikes were swift and precise. In Mudug, forces moved in on a compound believed to house planners responsible for recent attempts to disrupt civilian travel. Several militants were killed on the spot, including individuals identified by authorities as field commanders. In Bakool, troops raided another hideout, engaging gunmen who tried to flee into surrounding thickets. They did not get far.
Recovered from the sites were rifles, ammunition and communication devices that officials say were meant for attacks timed to coincide with the movement of security convoys and regional delegations. The seizure of these weapons, combined with the loss of experienced commanders, is expected to slow the group’s momentum in both regions.
Communities that have long borne the brunt of insecurity expressed cautious optimism, aware that Al-Shabaab often attempts to regroup after setbacks. Still, the latest operations have reinforced confidence in the partnership between national forces and local fighters, a collaboration that has steadily expanded in central and southwestern Somalia.
For now, families in Mudug and Bakool are returning to their routines with a little more ease, hoping that the pressure on the group will continue and that these victories signal a turning point in the broader effort to reclaim stability in their regions.
