Al-Shabab militants launch assault on strategic Somali town,as gov’t remains defiant

Al-Shabab fighters launched a coordinated dawn attack on the strategic town of Adan Yabaal in central Somalia on Wednesday (16 April),igniting heavy clashes with government troops and raising concerns over the sustainability of the country’s counterinsurgency campaign.

The town,situated approximately 240 kilometers north of Mogadishu,serves as a critical logistical hub linking Hirshabelle and Galmudug states. Al-Shabab,an al-Qaida-linked armed group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and other countries,claimed it had seized control of Adan Yabaal. However,Somali military officials denied the claim,stating that troops had repelled the attack and were still engaged in fighting in parts of the town. “There was heavy fighting still going on,” Captain Mohamed Ali told reporters. Local residents reported explosions and gunfire from multiple directions. Casualty figures remain unclear due to disrupted communications.

Adan Yabaal was previously under al-Shabab control until Somali forces recaptured it in 2022 as part of a broad offensive supported by clan militias and international partners. The renewed assault highlights the group’s resilience,as it regains ground in rural areas amid reduced international troop presence and uncertain funding for peacekeeping. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud,who is from the area and visited the town last month to meet with military commanders there,reaffirmed his government’s resolve,stating,“Occasional losses on the battlefield do not mean we are losing the war.”