Tuesday October 27, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali federal government claimed Tuesday that its forces killed about 75 al-Shabab fighters and wounded 56 others during hours of fighting near Buurhakaba, as government troops press a new offensive along a strategic corridor southwest of Mogadishu.
The Defense Ministry said the fighting took place Monday in the Jameeca area during Operation Banooda, a recently launched Somali National Army campaign targeting al-Shabab positions in and around South West State.
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According to the ministry, militants holding defensive positions fought government troops at several locations and used vehicles packed with explosives to attack army convoys, damaging some military vehicles.
“Approximately 75 militants were killed, and another 56 were wounded,” the ministry said.
The casualty figures could not be independently verified. The ministry did not disclose whether Somali soldiers were killed or wounded in the fighting.
Al-Shabab also claimed that its fighters inflicted heavy casualties on the government side. The militant group’s figure also could not be independently verified. Local media reported casualties among federal troops and damage to military vehicles but provided no independently confirmed toll.
“The heroic forces of the Somali National Army will continue the ‘Banooda’ operation and will not relent in their pursuit of the Khawarij or anyone who provides them with support or shelter,” the Defense Ministry said, using the government’s preferred term for al-Shabab.
The ministry said the offensive was aimed at weakening al-Shabab’s military capabilities, dismantling its positions and preventing the group from regrouping.
Operation Banooda began over the weekend as federal troops moved along the corridor between Baledogle, Leego and Buurhakaba.
The latest fighting comes amid a complicated security and political confrontation around Buurhakaba.
Forces loyal to former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen seized Buurhakaba earlier this month following fighting with federal and regional government forces. Government troops have since been advancing toward the district along the Mogadishu-Baidoa road.
Al-Shabab also maintains a presence along parts of the same corridor, complicating efforts by government troops to move between Lower Shabelle and Bay regions.
The federal government has previously accused Laftagareen-aligned forces of cooperating with al-Shabab, an allegation his group has repeatedly denied. The militant group operates independently and has fought Somali government forces for nearly two decades.
The Defense Ministry said Operation Banooda would continue and praised troops involved in the fighting, describing the campaign as part of the broader military effort to reduce al-Shabab’s ability to operate across southern Somalia.