(27 Mar 2025) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) – Government forces clashed with Al-Shabaab militants on Thursday in a fierce battle near Hudur, the capital of Bakool region, amid heightened military operations to contain militant movements in South West State.
The fighting erupted in Abagbeeday, a village located about 20 kilometres east of Hudur, and later spread to nearby areas. Residents reported hearing heavy gunfire and shelling as the two sides exchanged fire using a range of weapons.
Brigadier Yuunis Aadan Hasssan, commander of the 9th brigade of the Somali National Army, told state media that Al-Shabaab suffered heavy casualties and was pushed back from the area. He added that troops recovered weapons and military supplies after the battle, although he did not specify the number of militants killed or wounded.
The attack comes just days after military officials warned that large numbers of Al-Shabaab fighters, previously defeated in Middle Shabelle, had been relocating to Bay and Bakool, using the remote terrain to regroup. The influx followed losses sustained during government-led offensives in central Somalia.
The Somali government has recently intensified military pressure on the group, with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud personally visiting frontlines to boost morale and oversee operations.
Halqabsi News
