MOGADISHU, May 22, 2026 — Somalia’s elite Danab special forces carried out a planned security operation in areas near Afgoye district in the Lower Shabelle region, arresting suspected Al-Shabaab members and seizing weapons, military officials said Friday.
The operation was conducted by the armored unit of the Danab commandos and targeted areas under Afgooye, southwest of the capital, Mogadishu, according to a statement from the elite force.
Officials said the troops captured several suspected members of the Islamist militant group who were allegedly carrying weapons and materials used in attacks and acts of insecurity against civilians.
Commanders leading the operation said one of the suspects attempted to resist arrest but was subdued and captured alive by the special forces.
The troops also seized an AK-47 rifle and ammunition, a pistol carried by one of the suspects, and materials allegedly used in the manufacture of improvised explosive devices, the statement said.
The operation forms part of ongoing efforts by Somalia’s security forces to weaken Al-Shabaab and improve security in areas surrounding Mogadishu, military authorities added.
Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-linked militant group, has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for more than a decade.
