Deadly! 19 Al Shabaab Militants Gunned Down In Bloody Battle With UPDF

By Our Reporter

A coordinated dawn attack by Al Shabaab militants on Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Sabiid-Anole, southwest of Mogadishu, was successfully repelled by joint forces composed of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), and the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF).

The assault, launched at approximately 6:30 a.m., targeted strategic bases that had recently been liberated from Al Shabaab control in June. The militants, aiming to reclaim lost ground, were met with a decisive and rapid response.

Nineteen (19) militants were killed in action, while thirteen (13) others escaped with serious injuries. In the aftermath, the forces recovered a cache of weapons, including one 82 mm mortar barrel, six (6) PKM machine guns, and thirteen (13) submachine guns (SMGs).

According to the Ministry of Defence & Veteran Affairs – Uganda, the affected FOBs remain firmly under the control of AUSSM and SNAF troops. A follow-up operation is actively pursuing the fleeing militants and their accomplices.

Major General Felix Kulayigye, Director of Defence Public Information, confirmed that joint forces have intensified operations across the broader Lower Shabelle region with the aim of “dismantling Al Shabaab’s presence and liberating all areas still under their control.”

AUSSOM further reassured residents of Sabiid-Anole and neighboring communities of their continued safety and security, emphasizing the coalition’s unwavering commitment to restoring and maintaining peace in the region.