MOGADISHU, Somalia — At least three people were killed and nine others wounded during an overnight raid by Somali special forces reportedly trained by the United States in the Daniga Balow area of Middle Shabelle region, local residents said Saturday.
Witnesses told Radio Shabelle that the operation, carried out late Friday night, caused panic among villagers and resulted in both civilian and property losses.
“The soldiers entered the area at night, and heavy gunfire erupted soon after,” one resident said on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals.
Daniga Balow lies outside the formal authority of the Hirshabelle regional administration and has no functioning local government, making it difficult to independently verify casualty figures.
Efforts by Radio Shabelle to reach officials in Balcad district, the nearest administrative center, were unsuccessful as calls went unanswered.
Security sources said the raid targeted suspected Al-Shabaab militants, but there has been no official statement from Somali authorities or U.S. military representatives regarding the incident.
The U.S. has long provided training and support to elite Somali counterterrorism units, including the Danab Brigade, as part of efforts to combat Al-Shabaab insurgents who control parts of southern and central Somalia.
