MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Somali National Army has successfully taken control of Jaw, Dadale, Habarcirir, and Xilin-Fardood areas in the Galgadud region of the Galmudug state.
“Our troops removed mines from roads and forest areas, ensuring safer passages for our people. Elbur, we have you in our sights. We converge from all directions,” said the defense ministry.
Elbur district in the Galgadud region is now one of the last remaining strongholds of Al-Shabaab, and the national army has encircled it, according to the Ministry of Information.
In June 2012, heavily armed al-Shebab fighters recaptured the town of Elbur in central Somalia after Ethiopian and pro-government Sufi militias without facing a gunbattle.
In August 2022, Mohamud launched a “total war” against al-Shabaab. In the first phase, Somali forces concentrated on the central regions of Hirshabelle and Galmudug, supporting local clans that were rebelling against al-Shabaab.
The first stage was the most effective offensive since 2016, expelling al-Shabaab from areas it had controlled for over a decade, and in March 2023 the government launched phase two to attack al-Shabaab in the south.
