BELEDWEYNE, Somalia — A large-scale military operation targeting Al-Shabaab militants is in progress in the western part of Somalia’s Hiiraan region, according to reports.
High-ranking officials from the Somali National Army and Abdullahi Mohamed Ali [Sanbaloolshe], head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), are overseeing the operation alongside local leaders.
The offensive involves various forces, including local militia groups known as Macwiisley, aimed at attacking Al-Shabaab strongholds in both the western and eastern sections of Hiiraan, military sources said.
Cilmi Shooke, a Macwiisley militia leader, confirmed to the media that military engagement with Al-Shabaab is imminent. He urged his forces to prepare for the offensive, which seeks to conclude the insurgency that has persisted since 2022.
This operation in Hiiraan follows a broader strategy by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government to reclaim territory from Al-Shabaab. The initiative has already seen success in the regions of Galmudug and HirShabelle, previously under the control of the insurgents for years.
This latest offensive represents a significant move in the Somali government’s ongoing campaign to oust Al-Shabaab from strategic areas.
