Mogadishu, Sept 4, 2025 – Somalia’s national intelligence agency on Thursday announced the killing of several senior Al-Shabaab commanders in a targeted operation in the central Hiiraan region, describing the strike as a significant blow to the militant group.
In an official statement, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said the operation was carefully coordinated and carried out in the Shaw area of Hiiraan, with support from Somalia’s international security partners.
The agency named four key Al-Shabaab operatives killed in the raid: Abdullahi Hassan Omar, identified as the group’s head of Amniyat (intelligence operations) in Hirshabelle; a financial operative known only as Usaam; and two other senior commanders referred to as Qudaame Dheere and Abdul Ladhif.
NISA added that the operation also resulted in the deaths of nearly 10 other Al-Shabaab fighters who were present at the targeted location.
“The operation was executed exactly as planned, eliminating high-ranking threats to national security,” the agency said in its statement.
The Shaw area, where the strike took place, has long been considered a stronghold of Al-Shabaab and one of the key zones where the group has maintained a presence despite ongoing military offensives.
Somalia’s security forces, backed by regional and international partners, have intensified operations in recent months as part of a broader campaign to dismantle Al-Shabaab’s command structure and regain control of rural territories.
The intelligence-led operation highlights growing coordination between Somali forces and allied partners in targeting extremist leadership figures seen as critical to the group’s operations and financing.
