Nairobi, (Idil News) – Al-Shabaab militants launched a deadly dawn raid on a Somali military base at Hawadley (Xawaadleey) in the Hirshabelle State, witnesses reported on Friday. Hawadley is approximately 75 KM North of Mogadishu.
The attack began with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) and heavy gunfire that eventually killed at least 25 soldiers, followed by a suicide explosion that had killed the deputy commissioner of Xawaadleey, Muse Mohamed, also known as Muse Qoqane.
The Somali national armed forces and Macawiisley militia responded, repelling the attackers and killing 11 Al-Shabaab fighters, according to Mohamed Dhoore.
Hawadley, a strategic location under the control of Somali federal government troops, has become a battleground in the protracted conflict with the Al-Shabaab insurgent group.
A similar dawn attack happened on January 9, 2023. Al-Shabab claimed they had overrun the military base; senior military commander Colonel Abshir Mohamud Mohamed, commonly known (Shataqey) was among those killed in the attack.
For nearly two decades, Southern Somalian forces have been battling Al-Shabaab, which continues to hold significant territory in central and southern Somalia.
Amidst sustained efforts to degrade the group’s capabilities, Al-Shabaab remains capable of carrying out complex and deadly attacks, including those targeting the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and neighboring countries as well as Ethiopia and Kenya.
Somali federal government has sought to counter Al-Shabaab’s influence by leveraging clan dynamics to rally local support in vulnerable areas. However, entrenched inter-clan rivalries have disrupted security operations, most notably in 2023, and continued in 2024 to hinder efforts to stabilize the region.
Al-Shabaab, an affiliate of the Al-Qaeda group, has pledged to overthrow the Somali government that is constantly posing a threat to peace and security in the Horn of Africa.