MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Al Shabaab militants launched a coordinated attack on the central Somali town of Adan Yabaal on Wednesday, targeting a key military staging area used by government forces in their campaign to reclaim territory from the group, residents reported.
The assault follows recent territorial gains by the al Qaeda-linked group, which last month briefly captured several villages within 50 km (30 miles) of Mogadishu. Although the Somali army has since retaken those areas, al Shabaab has continued to make inroads across rural regions, prompting the government to reinforce its military with police and prison officers, according to soldiers on the ground.
Adan Yabaal, located approximately 245 km north of Mogadishu, has served as a strategic base for government raids on al Shabaab positions. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who hails from the area, visited the town last month to discuss military strategies with commanders stationed there.
“After early morning prayers, we heard a deafening explosion, then gunfire,” Fatuma Nur, a local resident and mother of four, told Reuters by phone. “Al Shabaab attacked us from two directions. I am indoors and the fighting is still ongoing.”
The outcome of the clash remains unclear, as both sides provided conflicting reports. Captain Hussein Olow, a Somali military officer in Adan Yabaal, claimed government forces had repelled the militants. However, in a statement, al Shabaab said it had overrun 10 military installations and taken control of the town.
Federal government officials have yet to respond to requests for comment.
The renewed fighting comes amid growing uncertainty over the future of international security assistance to Somalia. A smaller African Union peacekeeping mission recently replaced a larger force, but its financial backing remains in doubt. The United States has voiced opposition to a proposed transition to a U.N. funding model.
