Al-Shabab has intensified operations in central Somalia, seizing a village about 60 kilometres from Beledweyne and expanding its presence in Hiiran province. Military sources report 54 militants and nine soldiers killed since Saturday, while al-Shabab claims more than 100 soldier deaths; independent verification is not available. The attacks coincide with continued strikes in Mogadishu and rising political tensions after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud extended his term in mid-May.
Al-Shabab Intensifies Offensive in Hiiran, Seizes Strategic Village Near Beledweyne
FILE PHOTO - Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of Somalia, speaks at a press conference in Berlin. (is associated with: «Islamist terrorist group steps up attacks in Somalia») Hannes P Albert/dpa
Al-Shabab has stepped up attacks in central Somalia, seizing new territory in Hiiran province and taking a village of strategic importance for transport and logistics roughly 60 kilometres from the provincial capital, Beledweyne.
The Offensive
According to a military spokesman, government forces and allied clan militias have been attempting since the weekend to repel an al-Shabab offensive. Despite these efforts, fighters from the group reportedly captured a key village about 60 km from Beledweyne, consolidating their control over surrounding areas.
Casualties and Claims
Military sources say at least 54 al-Shabab fighters and nine soldiers have been killed since Saturday. Al-Shabab, speaking on its radio station, claimed that more than 100 soldiers were killed but did not disclose its own casualties. These figures cannot be independently verified and differ significantly between the parties.
Strategic and Political Context
Al-Shabab — an Islamist group allied with al-Qaeda — has long sought to impose an Islamist state across parts of Somalia. Although the group has been pushed from much of the capital, Mogadishu, it continues to mount attacks there against government officials, journalists and civil society representatives.
The military developments come amid growing internal political tensions following President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's decision in mid-May to extend his term in office by one year, a move that has drawn opposition criticism and heightened instability across the Horn of Africa nation.
Note: Casualty and territorial-control claims from both sides remain unverified and should be treated with caution.
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