Somalia’s defence ministry has announced that its armed and regional security forces killed 27 militants belonging to the al Shabaab group during a coordinated operation in the semi-autonomous region of Jubbaland.
The ministry said the operation, carried out on Tuesday, took place across areas in Lower Jubba and Middle Jubba and was supported by international partners through airstrikes.
Although the ministry did not specify the countries involved, the United States has previously conducted air operations in Somalia in support of counterterrorism efforts against al Shabaab.
The group, formally known as Al-Shabaab, has waged a long-running insurgency for more than two decades, seeking to overthrow Somalia’s central government and impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law.
According to the defence ministry, the latest operation led to the killing of key members of the insurgent group, alongside the recovery of weapons and landmines used by the militants.
Officials described the mission as a “large-scale operation,” aimed at weakening the group’s operational capacity in southern Somalia.
The ministry added that the coordinated assault forms part of ongoing efforts by Somali security forces, supported by international partners, to degrade al Shabaab’s presence in rural strongholds.
The African Union peacekeeping mission has also played a key role in supporting Somalia’s counterinsurgency campaign, although al Shabaab continues to control significant rural areas and regularly carries out attacks on towns and major population centres.
Security analysts say sustained military pressure, combined with regional and international cooperation, remains critical to reducing the group’s influence and restoring stability in Somalia.
