Mogadishu, Somalia – Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, the Minister of Defense, has revealed that a sustained series of precision airstrikes carried out since February has significantly weakened both Al-Shabaab and Daesh networks across the country.
Addressing the Upper House of Parliament, the minister said a total of 220 targeted operations have been conducted in collaboration with Somalia’s security partners. The coordinated strikes, which took place over a nine-month period, eliminated 868 militants, among them 52 senior field commanders believed to have played key roles in orchestrating recent attacks and recruitment drives.
The operations were primarily concentrated in the central and southern regions, where militant activity remains most entrenched. Areas such as Lower Shabelle, Galgaduud, and parts of Bari saw increased aerial surveillance and precision targeting, designed to minimize civilian casualties while disrupting insurgent logistics and command structures.
Officials say the campaign has already yielded tangible results, including the dismantling of several militant training camps and the destruction of key weapons storage sites. The strikes also helped Somali ground forces regain control of strategic routes and rural settlements previously under militant influence.
Security analysts view the renewed intensity of these operations as part of a broader strategy to prepare for the post-ATMIS phase, when Somali forces are expected to take full responsibility for national security.
Despite the successes, officials acknowledge that challenges persist. Militants continue to adapt through asymmetric tactics, including roadside bombings and targeted assassinations. Nonetheless, the defense ministry maintains that sustained pressure—both from the air and on the ground—is steadily eroding the operational capacity of extremist groups.
The campaign marks one of Somalia’s most extensive coordinated military offensives in recent years, underscoring the government’s determination to restore lasting stability and reclaim areas long held hostage by insurgent violence.