(16 June 2025) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) – Somali national forces and African Union (AUSSOM) troops have recaptured the strategic town of Bariire in the Lower Shabelle region, in what officials described as a significant victory in the government’s renewed military campaign against al-Shabaab.
In a retaliatory act, retreating militants sabotaged a vital piece of infrastructure before their withdrawal. State Minister for Defence, Omar Ali Abdi, confirmed on Sunday that al-Shabaab fighters had destroyed the Bariire bridge with landmines, severing a key route linking rural communities with the capital, Mogadishu. The minister stated the group had “cut off lifelines for civilians and humanitarian access.”
The recapture of Bariire is part of “Operation Silent Storm,” a newly launched offensive designed to retake key towns previously lost to the militant group. AUSSOM has confirmed the campaign is a joint effort to reclaim ground and stabilise the region. According to military sources, the operation’s scope may mirror the landmark “Indian Ocean” campaign of 2014-2015.
The destruction of the bridge has heightened concerns over the isolation of nearby villages, disrupting essential civilian movement and aid delivery. Condemning the act, Somalia’s Deputy Minister of Information said, “Al-Shabaab continues to sever the lifelines of the Somali people. Their rhetoric of advancing towards the capital is nothing but lies.”
The government says further operations will follow as Somali forces, with international support, aim to dislodge the remaining militants and restore public services in all liberated areas.
Halqabsi News
