Mogadishu, – Somali National Army (SNA) ground forces have been ordered to launch an immediate operation to retake Awdheegle district in Lower Shabelle from Al-Shabaab militants, according to senior military officials.
The directive came from Major General Sahal Abdullahi Omar, the Commander of the Somali National Army’s Ground Forces, during a frontline visit to areas near Awdheegle. He was accompanied by the commander of African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Sector 1 and other senior Somali officers.
Gen. Sahal praised Somali and AU troops for recent battlefield successes and the heavy losses inflicted on Al-Shabaab. He instructed soldiers to intensify operations until the militants are fully expelled, emphasizing that the capture of Awdheegle is now an urgent priority.
“This fight must not stop until the enemy is completely driven out of their last hideouts,” he told troops during the inspection.
Awdheegle, a strategic farming district in Lower Shabelle, has long served as an Al-Shabaab stronghold, providing militants with access to agricultural revenue and routes toward Mogadishu. Retaking it is seen as crucial for consolidating government control in southern Somalia.
The push comes as part of the third phase of “Operation Silent Storm”, a nationwide offensive launched earlier this year targeting Al-Shabaab bases and defensive positions across southern Somalia. Government officials say the operation has already liberated vast territories in Hirshabelle and Galmudug, and momentum is now shifting toward Lower Shabelle.
Joint forces of the SNA and AUSSOM have reportedly advanced around Awdheegle, tightening pressure on Al-Shabaab fighters entrenched in the area. Military sources indicate preparations are underway for a decisive assault to dislodge the militants “in the coming days.”
Lower Shabelle has historically been one of Al-Shabaab’s most resilient bastions, given its fertile farmland and proximity to Mogadishu. The renewed offensive reflects Mogadishu’s determination to cripple the group’s financial networks and territorial influence ahead of the planned rollout of universal suffrage elections.
The Somali government’s latest move underscores its strategy of reclaiming all remaining Al-Shabaab strongholds in Lower Shabelle. If successful, the capture of Awdheegle would mark a major symbolic and strategic victory in the campaign to stabilize the region and weaken militant holdouts.
