Ceeldheer, Galgaduud, – Somali government forces have uncovered dozens of bodies believed to be Al-Shabaab fighters during a sweeping operation on the outskirts of Ceeldheer, days after a fierce battle that left the militant group heavily battered.
The offensive, carried out by the Somali National Army (SNA), pushed deep into remote villages and grazing lands surrounding Ceeldheer district. According to field commanders, troops found freshly dug graves, makeshift treatment points, and traces of militants fleeing with their wounded.
“We came across graves where Al-Shabaab had buried their dead and sites where they had tried to treat their injuries,” said Captain Aadan Mohamed Farah of the SNA’s Gorgor commando unit. “We are coordinating with local communities to track down their movements.”
The latest operation follows Tuesday’s clashes in Ceeldheer, where government officials said at least 70 militants were killed and 50 others wounded. Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi confirmed that security forces recovered more than 30 bodies but added that Al-Shabaab carried away others during their retreat.
Senior military leaders, including Army Chief of Ground Forces Gen. Sahal Abdullahi Omar “Khalid,” remain in Ceeldheer to rally frontline troops and oversee the next phase of operations.
The Somali government has recently intensified its campaign against the group it refers to as “Khawarij,” with parallel offensives underway in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South West, and Jubbaland states.
Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, has waged a deadly insurgency in Somalia for over 15 years, carrying out bombings and raids across the country. Ceeldheer, a strategic town in central Galgaduud, has witnessed some of the heaviest clashes in recent months as federal forces and allied militias press to dislodge the group.
Officials say the latest battlefield gains are part of a broader effort to deny Al-Shabaab the ability to regroup and mount new attacks. However, analysts warn that the group’s resilience and deep rural networks mean Somalia’s counterinsurgency remains far from over.
