Somali, allied forces repel Al-Shabab attacks, kill at least 130 militants

Somali government forces, alongside local militias, successfully repelled a series of attacks on four military bases by the jihadist Al-Shabab group on Thursday (20 February), resulting in the deaths of over 130 militants.

The assaults targeted four military bases in the Middle Shabelle region, an area that has been a recent hotspot for clashes between Somali forces and Al-Shabab fighters. In a statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Information praised the military’s response, declaring the operation a victory against the militants, who employed explosives during their attempt to storm into the bases. While the government did not confirm the exact number of its casualties, local sources reported at least five soldiers dead and more than 10 others wounded. The Somali National Army (SNA) has been actively involved in securing villages recently freed from Al-Shabab control.

Separately, in Somalia’s northeastern Puntland region, a military operation led to the death of at least 20 fighters from the Islamic State (IS), underlining the growing threat posed by multiple extremist groups in the region. Somali forces have recently intensified efforts against both Al-Shabab and IS affiliates, with airstrikes also targeting IS leaders. According to a new analysis by The Soufan Center, a New York-based think-tank, “among the most concerning developments and perhaps a driving force behind the Trump administration’s early efforts to attack the group aggressively, is IS-S’ greater focus on planning and conducting external operations than on territorial expansion.”