Sunday April 23, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - In the early hours of Saturday morning, the violent extremist group Al-Shabaab launched a brazen attack in central Somalia's Masagaway area, within the Galgaduud region. The militants targeted influential clan leaders, leaving three of them dead and causing multiple casualties. These brutal killings come just two days after a similar Al-Shabaab incursion in the Budbud area of Galgaduud.
General Tawane Ahmed Guurey, commander of SNA 27th Division in the region, spoke to the media about the devastating attack. He informed reporters, "The Khawarij, who could not fight directly against the heroes of the National Army, resorted to bombing the innocent. However, the self-sacrificing forces of the local army thwarted the desires of the Khawarij." Gen. Tawane said the SNA killed 18 Al-Shabaab fighters in the ensuing clashes.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud condemned the attack. In his statement, President Hassan Sheikh expressed condolences for the deaths of Osman Macalin Ahmed, Ibrahim Mohamed Osman, and Abdullahi Geeljire, who Al-Shabaab killed in Masagaway. He described the killings as barbaric, stating that their actions reflect the group's hostility towards those seeking to liberate the country.
"The killing of these civilians is a tragic reminder of the enemy's goal of killing our leaders and people. We belong to Allah, and to Him, we shall return," said President Hassan Sheikh.
The president acknowledged that it would require a great deal of blood and lives to re-liberate the nation. He emphasized, however, that triumph was close because Al-Shabaab had been driven out of numerous places they had controlled for years.
Somalia has been locked in a seemingly endless struggle against the Islamist insurgency, with the government and its allies continuously working to regain territory from Al-Shabaab. Recently, the Somali government has made significant progress, primarily by forming alliances with local clan militias who share their growing discontent with Al-Shabaab.
In his conversation with the press, General Tawane emphasized the ongoing challenges faced by the SNA and its allies: "The area is still under the control of government forces, but we cannot confirm the total number of casualties."
Since August 2022, the Somali government has escalated its offensive against Al-Shabaab, leveraging the growing discontent with the Islamist insurgency, particularly within the politically dominant Hawiye clan. The collaboration between government forces and clan militias has led to substantial territorial gains, expelling Al-Shabaab militants from central Somalia and reestablishing government control in areas held by the group for over a decade.
Al-Shabaab, an extremist group affiliated with Al-Qaeda, has battled Somalia's internationally-backed government for over 15 years. The group has traditionally maintained a stronghold in rural areas, while Somali and partner forces have focused on consolidating power in urban locations.
In March, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared the second phase of the military offensive against Al-Shabaab. This phase aims to eliminate Al-Shabaab from remaining areas under its control, extending from central Somalia to southern regions – Southwest and Jubaland states.
During the offensive's first phase, Somali security forces recaptured over 215 locations formerly controlled by Al-Shabaab, primarily in Hirshabelle and Galmudug states. However, the Somali security forces cannot maintain control of newly liberated areas and have yet to expel Al-Shabaab militants from both states fully.
The federal government, likely in anticipation of limited support from southern clans for the second phase of operations, is soliciting more assistance from neighbouring states in Somalia under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya have reportedly pledged over 30,000 soldiers to support the offensive in the coming months.