Tuesday August 5, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – At least 70 al-Shabab militants were
killed in a joint military operation by Somali National Army troops and Ugandan
forces serving under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in
Somalia (AUSSOM) in Bariire, Lower Shabelle region.
According to a statement from the Somali government, the
militants attempted to carry out a suicide attack using two vehicles packed
with explosives. The joint forces foiled the attack and destroyed both vehicles
before they could detonate.
“The insurgents attempted to attack the troops with two
mine-laden vehicles. However, the troops responded with vigilance and courage,
safely destroying the vehicles before they could cause any damage,” the
statement read.
A separate statement from AUSSOM confirmed that several
senior al-Shabab commanders were among those killed, including Mohammed
Abdallah, an anti-tank specialist; Sadam Ibrahim, an IED expert; and Abas, an
infantry commander.
The offensive forms part of the second phase of Operation
Silent Storm, a wider military campaign to reclaim the towns of Sabiid, Anole,
Bariire, and Awdheegle. Somali and AU forces have already retaken Sabiid and
Anole.