Somalia: Al-Shabaab Launches Large-Scale Attack on Key Military Post

Edition : Widad WAHBI

 Al-Shabaab militants launched a large-scale assault at dawn on Wednesday targeting a military base and the town of Adan Yabaal, located in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region, around 220 kilometers north of the capital Mogadishu.

According to local officials, the fighting began around 5:30 a.m. local time when explosive-laden vehicles struck Somali army defenses on the outskirts of the town, allowing the attackers to breach the perimeter.

“The terrorists launched a desperate attack against Somali army positions in Adan Yabaal this morning,” said Mohamed Ali, a member of the Somali military, speaking by phone from a nearby town. He confirmed that the fighting had been contained and reinforcements were deployed from neighboring positions to secure the area.

Al-Shabaab, a militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack, asserting they had seized the town and defeated government forces. The statement has yet to be independently verified.

This incident follows recent escalations by the group, including a failed bomb attempt targeting the presidential convoy on March 18 and mortar attacks near Mogadishu’s airport in early April, raising concerns about a renewed wave of violence.

Military sources indicate that senior commanders were present in the area overseeing operations in both Middle Shabelle and the nearby Hiiraan region at the time of the attack.

The assault underscores the persistent threat posed by Al-Shabaab and the challenges faced by Somali security forces in their ongoing efforts to restore stability in the region.