Tuesday August 19, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali government forces, working
alongside local residents, have launched a major mobilization effort in Middle
Shabelle to dislodge al-Shabab from remaining strongholds, officials said
Monday.
The preparations come as Somalia’s federal government
announced a new phase of nationwide operations targeting the al-Qaida-linked
group. Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi led a delegation to Haji Ali, a town
in Middle Shabelle, where he urged both community members and soldiers to
intensify their efforts.
“The time has come for united action,” Fiqi told residents,
calling on them to join government troops in pushing al-Shabab out of the
region. He said the operation aimed not only to secure territory but also to
bring long-term stability.
Middle Shabelle was a focus of the first phase of the
government’s offensive, which saw al-Shabab driven out of several towns. Yet
the group maintains a presence in rural areas, enabling it to continue staging
attacks.
The new campaign is part of President Hassan Sheikh
Mohamud’s pledge to wage an “all-out war” against al-Shabab, which has fought
to overthrow Somalia’s federal government for more than 16 years.