DOOLOW, Somalia – Sept 8, 2025 – Security forces from Somalia’s Jubaland regional state, in coordination with Ethiopian troops and local police, have launched a wide-ranging security operation for a second consecutive day in and around the town of Doolow, near the Ethiopian border.
The joint operation, which extends to the key road networks linking the districts of Doolow, Luuq, and Beled Hawo, aims to prevent threats posed by the al-Shabaab militant group and ensure the safety of civilians, authorities said.
“Our objective is to pre-empt any potential security threats and to stabilize the area,” said Mohamud Abdi Hashi, the regional police commander, during a press briefing alongside Mohamed Hassan Bulle, head of regional security.
The commanders urged residents to cooperate with the ongoing operations, which include patrols, checkpoints, and search missions across several villages.
The security operation is part of a broader push by Somali regional forces to restore order in the Gedo region, amid rising tensions between the federal government in Mogadishu and Jubaland authorities over control of key areas.
The coordinated effort also comes amid reports that Egyptian military personnel may be deployed to the region in the near future, a move seen by analysts as part of broader regional posturing related to strained Egypt-Ethiopia relations.
Security officials in Gedo said the ongoing operation is “strategic and preventive,” and will continue until “peace is fully restored” to the region.
