(13 Mar 2025) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) – Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur announced on Thursday that over 150 Al-Shabaab militants, including senior commanders, were killed in a series of airstrikes targeting the group’s hideouts in central Somalia.
The operations, conducted over the past 48 hours, struck Al-Shabaab bases in Ceel Bacad, Ceel Ali Axmed, Laba Garas, Jambaluul, Ceel Garas, and Damasha Shabeellow—villages long considered militant strongholds. Minister Nur described the strikes as “precision attacks” that “severely degraded” Al-Shabaab’s capabilities.
“More than 150 Al-Shabaab militants were eliminated, including key planners of terrorist activities,” Nur told state media. He urged civilians to avoid areas where militants operate, warning, “We will continue striking the enemy wherever they hide.”
The Somali National Army (SNA), supported by airstrikes from international partners, has intensified air-and-ground operations to dismantle Al-Shabaab’s grip on rural regions. While the government hailed the strikes as major military successes, casualty figures remain unverified independently due to limited access to conflict zones.
Al-Shabaab has not yet issued a statement regarding the strikes.
The Somali government has increasingly relied on airpower from U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), Turkey, the UAE, and Ethiopia to complement ground offensives. However, human rights groups have repeatedly called for transparency to avoid civilian harm.
Halqabsi News
