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| Africa Horn |
| Al-Shabaab (part of Al-Qaeda) ambushed a Somali National Army unit in Lower Shabelle, ‘dozens’ said toes up |
| 2026-10-28 |
More: Dozens of Somali soldiers killed in battle with al Shabaab, soldiers say [Reuters] Dozens of Somali soldiers were killed in a major battle with al Shabaab in southern Somalia, two soldiers told Reuters, while the defence ministry said government forces killed about 75 militants. Somalia's defence ministry said about 75 militants were killed and another 56 were wounded in the fighting in the Jameeco area of Buurhakaba district. The statement did not say how many soldiers were killed or wounded Somalia, in the Horn of Africa, has been grappling with a nearly two-decade-long insurgency led by al Shabaab, which seeks to establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of Sharia law The defence ministry said the militants had attacked the national army using vehicles packed with explosives and that some army vehicles were damaged. Two soldiers told Reuters that dozens of soldiers were killed in the battle. One of the soldiers, who gave his name as Ahmed, said he had helped transport 40 dead soldiers and more than 100 wounded to hospitals in the capital Mogadishu. More at the linkThe ministry said the Somali National Army launched the assault on October 26 as part of Operation Banooda, targeting Al-Shabaab positions in several locations around Jameeca. During the fighting, Al-Shabaab fighters attacked military vehicles with explosives-laden vehicles, damaging some army vehicles, according to the ministry’s statement. It did not provide further details about casualties among government forces. The ministry said the army would continue Operation Banooda, which aims to weaken Al-Shabaab’s operational capabilities and the networks supporting the militant group. According to the SITE Intelligence Group, Al-Shabaab issued a statement late Monday saying it had launched an attack on Turkish-trained government troops and an allied militia — supported by Turkish fighter jets — in the Lower Shabelle region, resulting in the deaths of 321 troops. The fighting, near the city of Leego, continued for three hours and resulted in the seizure of prisoners, weapons and vehicles, according to Al-Shabaab’s statement. Turkey has emerged as a key backer of the Somali government at a time when the United States and other key donors are pulling back from supporting the counter-insurgency. Washington has stopped funding the vital United Nations logistics mission that supplies combat operations in the country, saying the government has failed to make progress in uniting the country and tackling the insurgent threat. |
| Posted by:badanov |