NISA kills 22 al-Shabb militants, destroys weapon-laden vehicles in Galgadud region.

The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) killed at least 22 al-Shabab militants in a targeted operation in Dhararweyn village, under the Gal’ad district in Somalia’s Galgadud region, on Monday night.

According to a NISA statement, the operation was based on intelligence monitoring of al-Shabab's recent activities in central regions in Galmudug regional State of Somalia.

During the raid, intelligence forces destroyed three vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunition, which al-Shabab was allegedly planning to use for attacks in central Galgadud.

The latest action was part of an intensified anti-al-Shabab campaign, with NISA forces reportedly killing over 100 militants across Galmudug and Hirshabelle in recent weeks as military operations continue nationwide.

 Al-Shabab ambush kills two Southwest State soldiers in Lower Shabelle region

Al-Shabab militants ambushed and killed two Southwest state soldiers on Tuesday as they traveled by motorcycle along the road between Wanlaweyn and Afgoye districts in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, residents reported.

The soldiers were reportedly en route from Wanlaweyn to Afgoye when the attack occurred. The local administration in Afgoye has not issued a statement about the incident.

In recent months, ambushes and roadside bombings have escalated in Lower Shabelle as Somali military forces ramp up operations against al-Shabab in the area.

Somali forces kill six al-Shabab militants, including two leaders in Bay region

Somali government forces killed at least six al-Shabab militants, including two key leaders, in an operation near the Qansah Dhere district in the Bay region on Monday. 

The raid took place in Weel-Manas, a rural village about 15 kilometers from Qansah Dhere.

Military officers told state media that the two high-ranking al-Shabab leaders killed in the operation were Nur Keerow Haidar and Shegow Adan Moalim. Both leaders were reportedly responsible for overseeing the group’s local operations, including enforcing sanctions and extorting funds from residents in the district.

Somali forces seized weapons and three motorbikes during the operation, according to military sources.

 Somalia’s NISA arrests Al-Shabaab affiliate linked to Mogadishu double murder

Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) announced Thursday that it has apprehended an alleged Al-Shabaab associate linked to the October 26 killing of two civilians in the Dharkenley District.

The suspect, identified as Abdisamad Ahmed Osman, is accused of aiding in the attack by transporting two gunmen on a Bajaj (autorickshaw) motorcycle to the scene. Authorities report that the assailants targeted and fatally shot Mahamed Omar Nur, the head of the Al-Ansaar Center, inside the facility. Moments later, Musab Dahir Hussein, a student engaged in camera work outside the center, was also killed.

“The National Intelligence and Security Agency continues to pursue other suspects to bring them to justice,” a NISA spokesperson stated. The agency has collaborated closely with other security units, conducting coordinated operations to neutralize potential threats from extremist cells that have increasingly targeted civilians and disrupted community stability in recent years.

The government has also urged citizens to remain alert and cooperate with security agencies, stressing that public vigilance plays an important role in national counterterrorism efforts.

 NISA kills 19 al-Shabaab fighters in Middle Shabelle region

Somali National Security and Intelligence Agency (NISA) killed at least 19 al-Shabaab members in a coordinated operation in the Yaaqle area of the Middle Shabelle region, the agency reported Friday. 

According to NISA's statement, the operation targeted a hidden location where al-Shabaab fighters had gathered, resulting in the death of senior members and the destruction of the site, which reportedly contained explosives and other weapons. 

"The site was discovered and destroyed with a significant amount of weaponry and explosives," the agency's statement read. This operation is part of NISA's ongoing campaign to root out al-Shabaab cells nationwide. 

The mission follows an earlier NISA operation this week in which 27 al-Shabaab operatives, including senior commanders, were killed during a 12-hour assault in the same region.

Two Al-Shabaab members arrested in Mogadishu

The Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency announced on Thursday the arrest of two members of the Al-Shabaab movement in the capital, Mogadishu.

The agency explained that one of the detainees is the son of a prominent figure in the movement, while the other is a government soldier suspected of colluding with extremists.

The agency confirmed that the operation comes within its ongoing efforts aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and disrupting their activities

 Turkish missile-armed drone crashes in Al-Shabaab-controlled Somali village 

A Turkish-made drone armed with missiles has reportedly crashed on Tuesday in the Al-Shabaab-controlled village of Farsooley, located in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region, according to local sources.

The drone went down approximately 130 kilometres southwest of Mogadishu, near the town of Qoryooley. Residents confirmed that Al-Shabaab fighters quickly secured the crash site, covering the aircraft with tree branches to conceal it from reconnaissance.

Neither the Somali government nor Turkish authorities have commented on the incident, leaving unclear whether the drone was part of an ongoing operation against Al-Shabaab, a militant group that controls large swathes of rural areas of southern Somalia.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the drone, reports suggest it may have been involved in targeting Al-Shabaab positions.

Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

Two African Union soldiers killed in mortar attack on Halane base in Mogadishu

Two African Union soldiers were killed and a third wounded in a mortar attack on the heavily fortified Halane base in the capital, Mogadishu.

The Special Representative of the African Union Commissioner for Somalia and Head of the African Union Mission, Ambassador Mohamed El Amin Soueif, condemned the attack in a statement.

The statement did not specify the nationality of the two dead soldiers, but an African Union official told Voice of America that the two dead soldiers and the injured soldier were from Uganda.

Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked group, claimed responsibility for the attack on the base, which houses diplomatic missions including those of the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Nations

 African Union soldiers killed in al-Shabab mortar attack

Two African Union soldiers were killed and a third one injured by an al-Shabab mortar attack Sunday on their base inside the perimeters of Mogadishu’s international airport.

A statement by the head of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mohamed El-Amine Souef condemned the attack on the facility known as the Halane Base Camp.

It’s believed that a 107mm rocket was used for the attack. At least four mortar rounds were reportedly fired during the attack.

“The heinous attack will not deter us and the Somali security forces from pursuing lasting peace and in Somalia,” Souef said in the statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. “We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to combat terrorism and build a peaceful and prosperous Somalia.”

The statement did not specify the nationality of the soldiers killed, but an AU official told VOA’s Horn of Africa that the soldiers who were killed and the one soldier injured are Ugandans.

“ATMIS extends its deepest sympathies and condolences to the families, friends, and relatives of those who lost their lives and wishes a quick recovery to those injured during the attack,” Souef said.

The AU senior leadership team later visited the site of the blasts.

The al-Shabab militant group claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a statement posted on one of its websites, the group claimed the mortars killed “white and black officers.”

Despite being driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, the group, from time to time, manages to carry out mortar attacks that hit Mogadishu’s airport, which is a base for the AU as well as some foreign embassies.

Al-Shabab mortars have also targeted residential areas in Mogadishu and have claimed the lives of civilians.

 At least 27 al-Shabab militants killed in Middle Shabelle region

Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) reported the killing of 27 al-Shabab militants in a 12-hour military operation in the Yaaqle area of the Middle Shabelle region.

In a statement released Sunday, NISA confirmed that the operation targeted al-Shabab fighters in a location used as a gathering point, destroying militant vehicles and bases. 

The agency did not report any casualties among its personnel.

The operation follows a series of recent offensives by the Somali National Army (SNA) in the regions of Middle Shabelle, Galgadud, and Mudug, where over 100 militants were killed last month, bringing the total militant casualties in October to 254. 

The Somali government has been fighting al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists since the Somali president declared "an all-out war" earlier in 2022, but both sides have a history of exaggerating casualty figures.

 Somalia confirms participation in COP29, strengthening ties with Azerbaijan

Somalia's non-resident ambassador to Azerbaijan, Fathudin Ali Mohamed, has confirmed that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will attend the upcoming COP29 Climate Conference and meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. 

The UN Climate Conference is scheduled to run from November 11 to 22, 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Ambassador Fathudin, who also serves as Somalia's ambassador to Turkey, announced while presenting his credentials to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Friday. 

"The President of Somalia will participate in COP29," said Ambassador Fathudin, recently appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

The ambassador highlighted that the anticipated meeting between Presidents Mohamud and Aliyev during COP29 would further enhance the relationship between Somalia and Azerbaijan, fostering deeper bilateral cooperation.

President Aliyev and Ambassador Fathudin emphasized the value of high-level diplomatic engagement and praised the collaboration between Somalia and Azerbaijan in international organizations, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).