ADAN YABAAL, Somalia – Local defense forces from the Mabaax area, under the Moqokori district in Hiiraan region, carried out a well-coordinated evening assault yesterday on a group of Al-Shabaab militants who had been gathering near the district of Aadan-Yabaal in the Middle Shabelle region.
The operation, which unfolded around sunset, triggered an intense battle in which the militants suffered significant losses. According to field commanders who spoke with Horn Life, many members of the extremist group were killed in the operation, which they described as a success executed precisely as planned. They also confirmed that the forces successfully disrupted the enemy’s plot before it could be enacted.
Assessment of the damage inflicted on the militants is still ongoing, but commanders report that numerous bodies remain at the site of the clash, located between Mabaax and Aadan-Yabaal.
The area from which the local Hiiraan fighters launched their operation lies approximately 6 to 10 kilometers from Aadan-Yabaal — a district that fell to Al-Shabaab last Wednesday after heavy fighting.
Meanwhile, national army forces who suffered setbacks during the recent battle for Aadan-Yabaal have retreated through Guriceel district, skirting the Mudug region to approach Mogadishu from the northern coastal route.
Hiiraan’s local defense units — known for their resilience — continue to hold defensive positions they reclaimed from Al-Shabaab nearly two years ago. Tonight’s preemptive strike marks yet another blow to the militant group, underscoring the determination of the regional forces.
Due to the nighttime conditions and disrupted communications, exact casualty figures remain unconfirmed. However, local commanders report seeing numerous bodies of militants along with abandoned weapons at the battlefield.
HORN LIFE
